CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Union government and NLCIL (Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited) to come to a conclusion about appointing retired Justice as a mediator to resolve the dispute between laborers and management and posted the matter to August, 22 for a final hearing.

Justice M Dhandapani observed that the laborers protesting for the price hike and permanent jobs are shifted their place of strike to a marked place by the police. Senior counsel Masilamani for the NLCIL intervened and contended that some of the laborers are violating the guidelines set by the court and disturbing the management.

The judge assured that he will instruct the law enforcement to give proper security to the NLCIL and questioned about the dispute between the management and the laborers.

The judge expressed his dissatisfaction that the Union government and NLCIL are not ready to give consent to appoint retired Justice V Ramasubramaniam as the mediator to resolve the dispute. The judge aggrieved that NLCIL and the Union government relied only on the conciliation officer to solve the solution and the judge observed that they should adopt new methods to solve the dispute. "We cannot prolong the situation, there is only one lakh police personnel for 7 crore people, and we cannot deploy all the police to protect the NLCIL.

This court is not only for the NLCIL it is also for the worker's plight, the NLCIL cannot excavate the coal endlessly, one day the coal will be exhausted, if the situation arises the NLCIL will move away from the place but then the workers will be happy to return to agriculture," observed the judge.

Subsequently, the judge also observed that on August 22 he will disposed of the case.