After failing to get state assurance for the remaining land for its 1,320 MW thermal power project at Katwa in Bengal, power major NTPC is now trying to secure Hindustan Cable’s land near the coal-belt of Asansol.

NTPC requires some 1000 acres of land and ailing company Hind Cable’s closed largest plant at Ruprayanpur is spread over similar size of land.

“People from NTPC had visited the Ruprayanpur unit of the company few days ago,” Hindustan Cable’s managing director Mr Kishore Rungta told PTI.

“This visit is part of our EoI floated sometime a year back from PSU companies for a takeover. We will examine after we get a definite proposal,” he added.

NTPC unions, however, said they will not support the company’s bid as they do not intend to retain existing employees.

“NTPC is out of race from the beginning as none of the unions will support their move as they are only interested in land of this factory. Some 1,100 people work here, including officers,” INTUC union leader Mr Charanjit Singh Goraya said.

Hindustan Cable has also received an interest from another public sector company and all the four workers union and officers union have decided to support their proposal where they will not retrench the workforce, he said.

NTPC chairman and managing director Mr Arup Roy Chowdhury did not respond to PTI calls seeking his reaction.

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