Chittivalasa jute mills at Tagarapuvalasa in Visakhapatnam district to re-open soon as more than 5,000 workers are dependent on it. The decision came in after the AP government initiated a meeting with the owner of the mill and directed the mill management on Sunday to get it reopened.

Lockout was declared in the mill on April 20, 2009, and since then it has remained closed in spite of several attempts to get it re-opened during the past five years.

After a meeting initiated by Minister for Higher Education Ganta Srinivasa Rao at the Circuit House and attended by Minister for Labour K. Atcham Naidu and top officials, it was decided to convene a meeting with the owners of the mill to lift the lockout.

The meeting was convened by Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who represents Bhimili constituency. Jute mill workers’ union President Varahala Raju said that it was a good move on the part of the Government. The Kolkata-based management should respond positively and assist in getting the mill re-opened.

Atcham Naidu told the representatives of the union to extend cooperation for reopening of the mill and consider a negotiated settlement over payment of dues. He instructed the Labour Department officials to negotiate with the management on the matter.

Labour Commissioner B. Ramanjeneyulu, Joint Labour Commissioner S. Lakshminarayana, Chittivalasa Jute Mill Workers’ Union President K.K. Varahala Raju, INTUC district President Mantri Rajasekhar, district General Secretary Neerukonda Ramachandra Rao and others attended the meeting.