Miners stage strike inside Jadugora mine

Demanding a raise in their wages, over 225 miners of the Uranium Corporation of India Limited struck work and refused to come out of the Jadugora mine near Jamshedpur, for the second consecutive day on Saturday.

The miners, who went inside the mine in the first shift on Friday, did not come out. Dewatering in the mine has also been stopped, UNCIL sources said in Jamshedpur on Saturday.

The workers are demanding a 20 per cent hike in their pay-scale against the management's 10 per cent hike proposal, the Singhbhum Uranium Mazdoor Union said.

S N Mahato, general secretary of SUMU, told PTI that the miners were without food since Friday.

Meanwhile, UCIL company secretary P V Dubey expressed concern over the miners' refusal to allow dewatering system inside the mine.

Dubey claimed that despite the management's offer to negotiate with their representatives, the miners' were instigated to strike by certain people with vested interests.

The east Singhbhum district officials are camping in Jadugora to take stock of the situation, he said.