The Forum demanded the immediate withdrawal of all privatisation plans, the reinstatement of contract and other workers, and the initiation of democratic discussions with unions to address the plant’s operations and ensure the supply of necessary raw materials.
Published Aug 23, 2025 | 12:19 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 23, 2025 | 12:19 AM
Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.
Synopsis: The recent call for Expressions of Interest (EoI) from private agencies to manage 34 critical departments, including blast furnace systems, slag granulation plants, mines, BF cooling, furnace equipment, and charging units, is seen as a deliberate move to dismantle the public sector character of the VSP.
The Human Rights Forum (HRF) has condemned the government’s renewed efforts to privatise the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).
HRF Andhra Pradesh President KV Jagannadha Rao, and AP and Telangana Coordinator VS Krishna said in a statement on Friday, 22 August, that the recent call for Expressions of Interest (EoI) from private agencies to manage 34 critical departments, including blast furnace systems, slag granulation plants, mines, BF cooling, furnace equipment, and charging units, is seen as a deliberate move to dismantle the public sector character of the VSP.
They described the move as a “brazen attempt” to transfer a national asset, built through the struggles and sacrifices of thousands of people, to private entities at undervalued prices and labelled it as a piecemeal sell-off of the plant.
HRF said that outsourcing critical operations to private contractors is not only anti-worker but also unlawful. The organisation pointed out that the Factories Act and various safety regulations mandate the use of permanent, trained, and experienced workers in hazardous units.
Handing over these functions to private entities, driven by profit motives, compromises worker safety, endangers surrounding communities, and obscures accountability in the event of accidents. The HRF noted the increasing frequency of fatal accidents in industrial units across Anakapalli and Visakhapatnam districts as evidence of the dangers of such practices.
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The HRF leaders also criticised the government for terminating thousands of contract workers and the easing out of regular workers and qualified officers at VSP in recent years. Beyond job losses, they said that the VSP is more than an industrial unit—it represents a historic people’s struggle. Thousands of families sacrificed land and livelihoods, and 32 lives were lost to establish the plant. Privatising it now, HRF said, is a betrayal of that legacy.
The HRF accused elected representatives of the ruling party of hypocrisy, claiming they publicly pose as defenders of the VSP while facilitating its privatisation. The forum pointed to their support for the proposed Mittal steel plant at Nakkapalli as evidence of their support for corporate interests.
The battle to save Vizag Steel, HRF stated, is a fight to preserve the idea of a public sector that serves the people rather than private greed. The forum felt that with proper support, policy backing, and investment, the VSP has the potential to thrive under public ownership.
They demanded the immediate withdrawal of all privatisation plans, the reinstatement of contract and other workers, and the initiation of democratic discussions with unions to address the plant’s operations and ensure the supply of necessary raw materials.
HRF called for a clear and firm commitment from both the central and state governments to maintain the VSP as a public sector enterprise.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
