The imminent face off between the Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (Telco) management at the Chinhat factory near here and the Mahendra Singh Tikait-led Bharatiya Kisan Union activists has been averted for the time being onaccount of the curfew imposed in large parts of Lucknow.

Senior state government officials disclosed that the tripartite meeting among the district administration, the Telco management and office bearers of the BKU which was scheduled for July 5 has been postponed indefinitely in view of the prevailing communal tension in the state capital.

"We have, however, assured the BKU activists that an amicable solution will be found to break the deadlock with the district administration acting as a mediator," said a top-ranking official in the state's secretariat of idustries."

Interestingly, it appears that the state government wants to wash its hands off the whole affair with senior bureaucrats dismissing the demand of the BKU activists for compensation for their land from the Telco management as "a revenue affair which will be dealt with by the district collector."

For the time-being, though, the BKU activists have stalled the second round of their do-or-die agitation and even called off their proposed protest march to the collectorate scheduled for July 7. State government officials claimed that "things are running as normal in the Telco factory premises and there is no tension."

Incidentally, the villagers of Chinhat had staged a dharna at the Telco factory premises on July 3 causing total disruption of work. The villagers have been demanding jobs for members of families which have lost their land on account of construction of the Telco plant as well as adequate compensation for their land. They have also been demanding that all contractual work be given to the villagers of Chinhat only.

According to the BKU activists, there are some 580-odd villagers who are entitled for jobs. Of this, the Telco management has provided jobs to only 40.

No solution appears to be in sight with regard to compensation with the Telco management maintaining that it has cleared all its dues with the UP Small Industries Development Corporation (UPSIDC) which is the original owner of the disputed land.

Tata group Chairman Ratan Tata has also recently written to the UP chief minister Mayawati categorically stating that his group is rethinking its investment plans for the state in the wake of the recent developments at the Telco factory as well as the prevailing turmoil at the Tata Chemicals & Fertiliser factory at Babrala in UP.

Official sources revealed that Telco had earmarked a whopping Rs 275 crore investment in UP between 1995 and 2000 as per its investment plans submitted to the state government.

In addition, the ancilliarisation potential of the Telco plant in Lucknow is estimated to be over Rs 300 crore. In terms of employment, the plant is expected to provide direct employment to around 2000 people and indirect employment to over 10,000 by the year 2000. "All this could be jeopardised if all out efforts are not made to resolve the current stalemate," said apprehensive state government officials.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.