Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Saturday, Feb 04, 2006
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Saturday, Feb 04, 2006 |
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Trade & Labour Unions Logistics - Modernisation Government - Policy Govt agrees to set up panel to look into issues — AAI workers hold talks with PM; decision likely today Our Bureau
Left party leaders (from left) Mr Prakash Karat, Mr Gurudas Gupta, and Mr A.B. Bardhan, coming out after meeting the Prime Minister in the Capital on Friday. — Ramesh Sharma
New Delhi , Feb. 3 THE agitation by employees of Airports Authority of India (AAI) continued on Thursday with signs of a possible breakthrough on Saturday. After a meeting with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, the representatives of the AAI workers decided to have wider consultations among themselves on the future course of action to be taken. Earlier in the day, the Government stood firm on the decision to modernise Delhi and Mumbai airports through the involvement of the private companies, but agreed to set up a committee to look into the issues raised by the AAI employees. The Prime Minister also requested the employees to withdraw the agitation and agreed to look into several issues raised by the AAI employees, including the future of the organisation, official sources said. "However, the Prime Minister was categorical in stating that the present modernisation programme for Delhi and Mumbai airports will not be reversed. He pointed out how the modernisation programme had been cleared by a number of committees, including the Union Cabinet," a senior Government official present at the meeting said. The agitation by the workers has led to inconvenience for passengers with airports being dirty and other services in short supply, although air services throughout the country remained largely unaffected. The meeting of the AAI workers with the Prime Minister took place after a delegation of Left party Members of Parliament met Dr Singh in the morning. Emerging from the 90-minute afternoon meeting, the Joint Convenor, AAI Workers Union, Mr M.K. Ghoshal, said the Government was asked to set up a tripartite committee, comprising officials of the Civil Aviation Ministry, the AAI and employees' representatives to study the alternative plan for modernisation of airports, the future of AAI and other related issues. He added that job loss was not one of the concerns of the workers. ``We are opposing the systematic unit-wise privatisation of AAI as is being done by giving away profit-making Delhi and Mumbai airports," Mr Ghoshal said. The Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, said the Prime Minister had also drawn the attention of the employees' forum to the conditions imposed on the selected private bidders under which they have to absorb 40 per cent of the AAI employees. But the bidders had themselves offered to absorb 60 per cent of the employees and the Government would try to increase it further, he said. Earlier, at their meeting with the Prime Minister, the Left party Members of Parliament asked the Government to consider the alternative development plan that was submitted by the AAI union. The plan gives AAI the responsibility for modernising the two metro airports. Air passengers, however, continued to suffer for the third day in a row, basically because of the heavy stench emanating from the uncleared garbage at the major airports. AAI employees continued their agitation, though the number of protesters were less than in the last two days. A minor scuffle also took place at Delhi airport when workers tried to block traffic leading to the terminal buildings. HC defers Reliance plea: The Delhi High court has deferred till February 6 the hearing on a petition filed by Reliance Airport Developers against the award of contract to other companies.
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