Nalco anti-divestment stir begins in Orissa

The statewide strike by all political parties barring the Congress and seven central trade unions to protest the Centre's decision to disinvest 10 per cent stake in profit-making Nalco affected train services in Orissa.

The ruling BJD and BJP besides several opposition parties have extended their support to the strike.

Activists of several parties staged demonstrations outside the Nalco corporate office here, while work came to a standstill at the company's facilities at Angul and Damanjodi.

"All the employees have joined the strike at the Smelter and Captive Power Plant (CPP) at Angul while a skeleton staff had been allowed to keep the crucial potlines alive," said, executive director of the Smelter at Angul, U B Patnaik.

"There is no production of metal," he said.

The CPP, which has an installed capacity of 960 MW, was making reduced generation necessary to keep the potlines hot, he said.

The situation was same at the company's refinery and bauxite mines as the plant operated with less number of employees, the executive director of the refinery, P K Routray said.

Political and trade union activists resorted to rail roko at various places in the state affecting train services.

The BJP, which had decided not to participate in the strike, changed its mind after its leaders had a meeting with those of the coalition partner BJD, party sources said.