Mangalore: A large number of employees belonging to the Mangalore Chemical Fertilizers (MCF) staged a protest against the central government’s order to discontinue subsidies to Naphtha based fertilizer manufacturing units.

The protesters holding placards and shouting slogans – marched from Light House Hill to the DC’s office on Tuesday.

Addressing the protestors, K.N. Suryanarayana, president of MCF Mangala Workers Union appealed to the government to continue the present system of subsidy till the gas connectivity and supply is established. If the government is adamant on its stand, it would only destroy the livelihood of about 2,000 families, he added.

He said, when the government hinted to stop providing subsidy to Naphtha based manufacturers, MCF spent Rs 300 crores to install machinery to produce urea using natural gas. However, the government has failed to provide gas connectivity from Kochi to Mangalore. We are forced to bear the brunt for no fault of ours, Suryanarayana said on behalf of the employees.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced the concept of ‘Make in India’ to encourage setting up of industries. Therefore, the government must listen to our plea, as MCF is an industry, producing urea that is popular among the farmers.

Yashoda Ullal, another employee also requested the government to continue with the subsidy until gas connectivity is completed.