BHUBANESWAR: Aluminium production at public sector NALCO's plant at Angul in Orissa came to a halt on Friday, as employees struck work demanding that the Centre drop a decision to sell 10 per cent stake in the company or else be prepared to face a hard  time.

 

“The token strike is a warning to the government to go back on its decision. If the government does not relent, it will lead to a long drawn confrontation," Nalco Employees Federation of India president Shivaji Patnaik said.

 

“Aluminum production from the (950 tonne per day) smelter plant has stopped. We have made temporary arrangements to keep the potline alive," Nalco's Executive Director U B Patnaik said.

 

The strike by workers followed the Union Cabinet's decision on Thursday to divest 10 per cent of its stake in the aluminium major.

 

While Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, asked the government to think twice before selling its stake, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said the Left parties would meet

in New Delhi soon to devise a plan to counter the government's decision.

 

“The decision would be forcing the company to further disinvest if it wants to expand. If it is further disinvested, the government will lose its control over the entity," he

warned.

 

This, he alleged, was what "the government exactly wanted. They are forcing the PSUs which are disinvested to further disinvest."