VISL has a bright future - V Gowrishankar, ED VISL

Executive director of VISL VG Shankar addressed the SAIL day celebrated by VISL at Bhadravati. JN Chandrahasa, P Sahay, V Suryanarayana, NC Jha and WM Manjunath look on

What best we can do with the available resources, is the million dollar question that is haunting the VISL collective which has one of the best work cultures among the Maharathna steel giant Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) that would surely brighten the future of Visvesvaraya Iron & Steel Plant (VISL), said executive director of VISL V Gowrishankra.

Addressing the SAIL Day celebration at VISL platinum jubilee stage in VISL SJ Stadium on Monday evening he said that SAIL was interested in investing those steel plants which had captive iron ore mines excepting a plant in Tamilnadu. If VISL can ensure a captive Iron Ore mines, with the help of Rajya Sabha member Ayanur Manjunath, MP BY Raghavendra and local MLA BK Sangameshwar there is no reason why VISL cannot turn its corners round, he added and hoped that VISL would get mining lease at Ramanadurga in Bellary district very soon.

SAIL has shown a turnover of Rs.42,000 crore and a profit of Rs.10,000 crore during 09-10 fiscal. It has been elevated to Maharatna company from Navarathna company status. VISL would also get Rs.2000 crore for its modernization plan. But, we must be in a position to pay it back in the form of profits and productions, he pointed out.

VISL workers’ association president JN Chandrahasa expressed his displeasure about the alleged stepmother attitude shown by SAIL in modernizing the legendary steel plant VISL founded by Sir M Visvesvaraya way back in 1923. Though VISL has seen many ups and downs it has withstood all odds, thanks to the best work culture of VISL workers and contract workers. The politicians, state government and the union government should consider the allotment of a captive iron ore mine to VISL, which is the only PSU steel producer in the State. Owing to legal litigations raised by the private operators the allotment of 245 hectares of mining land at Ramanadurga range in Bellary district is being delayed, he noted. He also threw a challenge that VISL workers were prepared to sustain and improve the production and productivity given the necessary downstream facilities through modernization as promised by SAIL at the time of taking over VISL as a full fledged plant of SAIL in 1998. He also placed on records the support lent by former chief ministers JH Patel and Ramakrishna Hegde along with the initiative shown by former prime minister HD Devegowda to merge VISL into SAIL. He expressed his deep concern about the poor attendance of VISL officers and workers at the SAIL day celebration in spite of SAIL extending all benefits like salary, fringe benefits, healthcare and housing facilities to them although VISL was accumulating losses.

VISL officers’ association vice president WM Manjunath said that VISL was yet to achieve the best results and the provisions to make iron ore and coke available for VISL would sort out this issue. He also said that within the limited resources VISL collective must aim at achieving highest ever parameters in production and quality of steel.

General manager (P&A) P Sahay, who is also the chairman of the VISL Utsav committee 2011 presided over the function. General Manager (operations) YK Khanna was present. General manager (mines and raw materials) V Suryanarayana welcomed. N Raghuram anchored the programme. General manager (works) NC Jha proposed a vote of thanks.

Meghana melodies of Tirthahalli gave a musical recital to entertain the gathering.