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Maruti to resume partial production at Manesar from August 21
Sunit Dhawan
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, August 14
The management of Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has decided to resume partial production at its arson-hit Manesar plant from August 21. Before that, a “havan” will be organised at the plant on August 20.

Suzuki Motor Corporation chairman Osamu Suzuki is slated to arrive here on August 22 on a five-day visit. According to sources, the move comes as a result of the massive pressure building on the company management by its vendors. Hundreds of MSIL vendors have been facing acute labour and financial problems ever since the company management announced a lockout at the Manesar plant on July 21.

Apart from the substantial revenue loss (around Rs 70 crore per day) being suffered by the MSIL on account of the lockout, its vendors are also in distress. While many vendors have been forced to discontinue services of contractual labourers at their plants, many others having regular workers have been running only one shift.

These vendors, who supply different components to the MSIL, have been putting pressure on the company management to resume operations. The MSIL management was forced to announce lockout after company workers attacked senior managers and supervisors with rods and resorted to arson on the plant premises on July 18.

MSIL general manager (HR) was killed and nearly 100 company executives were injured in the large-scale violence. The police has arrested more than 100 MSIL workers, including top office-bearers of the Maruti Suzuki Workers Union. A heavy posse of police personnel has been deployed at the company’s Manesar plant; and the state authorities have assured the management that the police force would continue to be there after the plant is reopened.