Metal production in the smelter plant of the National Aluminium Company Limited (Nalco) here in Orissa came to a grinding halt and units of the power plant were affected on Friday following a 24-hour ceasework by the employees in protest against the Centre’s decision to offload 10 per cent of the company equity.All officials and workers, barring a handful of engineers required for maintenance jobs, in the smelter and power plant joined the strike. Nalco has about 5,000 employees in these two key plants including 1,150 officials.While no production of aluminium was reported in the smelter plant, all the 720 pot lines had to be kept alive and power supply continued to these in order to maintain the pot line, Nalco Executive Director Uma Ballav Patnaik said. The smelter plant produces an average of 950 tonne of aluminium a day, he added.
