Published Oct 05, 2026 | 12:22 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 05, 2026 | 12:55 PM
Kavitha protest at Singareni Bhavan. (Supplied)
Telangana Rakshana Sena chief K Kavitha on Monday, 5 October, staged a sit-in protest outside the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) Hyderabad office demanding that the long-pending grievances of Singareni Collieries workers be resolved.
Kavitha, who is also the honorary president of the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), was accompanied by party leaders, activists and HMS functionaries. The protesters gathered at the Singareni Bhavan in Lakdikapul and urged the management and the government to act on a charter of 11 demands.
The central demand is that workers receive a 35 percent share of Singareni’s profits. The protesters also want the government to immediately clear the ₹62,000 crore it allegedly owes the company, and new coal blocks to be allotted to Singareni.
Kavitha called for the alias-name issue affecting workers to be settled and for junior assistant vacancies to be filled. She also demanded that dependent job appointments that were put on hold on vigilance grounds, be confirmed immediately.
According to an ETV report, the practice of alias names was widespread in Singareni coal mines during the 1970s and 1980s, when many workers joined under the names of former employees. Since many did not possess the required qualifications, they were employed under the names of former workers who already had employment cards but had left their jobs for various reasons.
Protesters demanded that all workers who have applied to the medical board be declared unfit, qualifying them for dependent jobs. They also called for the board to meet twice a month. Those who work in mines can apply to medical board if they are facing health issues. If they are declared unfit, they can qualify for dependent jobs–a job offered to a relative of the affected worker.
Addressing the gathering, Kavitha said only 10 percent of the applicants had so far been declared unfit by the medical board and their dependents were given jobs. She demanded that at least 80 percent of the applications must be processed in the next two months.
“Singareni’s coal lights up this country. The workers struggle so hard for us. TRS and HMS will stand with the workers and fight until their issues are resolved,” she said.
Welfare demands include two guntas of land for every worker under home-owner scheme and the abolition of income tax for Singareni employees.
Kavitha called on the management to pay contract worker wages in line with the recommendations of the High Power Committee.
The protest ended after Singareni management came forward for talks and assured that the workers’ genuine demands would be addressed.
Kavitha warned that she would begin an indefinite hunger strike at the gates of Singareni Bhavan if the issues remained unresolved in the next 60 days.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Sreshta Ladegaam)
