It is for the first time that the company has been forced to curtail its production because of the recessionary phase.

Holidays have been announced for the company employees for two days, September 23 and 25 as part of the five-day week plan. Effectively, the employees will get a three-day holiday as Thursday, September 24, is a non-working day.

The continuing economic down turn in the country, which has particularly affected the automobile sector, has impelled Telco to focus on all means to reduce costs and manufacture vehicles strictly in tune with the market demand, R M Nirmal, deputy general manager (Human Resource) said.

In a press release, Nirmal stated that the step had been taken to conserve resources particularly in a difficult market environment.

Nirmal, when contacted, said that the five-day week plan was being implemented only for two weeks (weeks beginning from Friday, September 18 for which the holiday was on September 23 and the next week for which the holiday was on September 25). He said he would be unable to comment on the possibility of further extension of the five-week plan, adding that it would depend on the future market trends. Nearly 7500 employees who will be affected due to the five-week plan will be given their normal wages, he said.

Revolver seized from youth
A country-made revolver and some ammunition has been recovered from a 22-year-old youth arrested by the Chatuhshrungi police in Rahatani area on Sunday afternoon.

The youth, Rajesh Kumar Mathura Prasad Singh from Ramnagar in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, was loitering under suspicious circumstances when he was detained by a police patrol team led by inspector Vilas Jadhav.

A search of Singh's person led to the recovery of the country-made revolver, two live cartridges and an empty cartridge, inspector Jadhav said. The police have started probing into Singh's possible involvement in robberies.