Distillery under new administration, picketing called off

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 December 2002, 19:18 GMT]
Picketing by members of the Vadamarachi Palm Co-op Societies Federation (VPCSF) was called off Thursday afternoon following an agreement to bring the Thikkam Distillery under a new administration comprising of members from Palmyra Development Board (PDB), VPCSF and an employee of the Distillery, sources said.

The picketing campaign was launched last week demanding that the Thikkam Distillery should be returned to the VPCSF administration.

The new adminsitrative board is to assume duties on January 8, next year according to an agreement reached Thursday between Minister Mr. Maheswaran and picketers, sources said. Earlier Mr.Ilamparuthi held talks with the delegation of the Vadamarachchi Palm Co-op Societies Federation.

The PDB is now under the Minister of Hindu Affairs Mr. T.Maheswaran.

Several hundred members of the Vadamarachchi Palm Co-op Societies Federation commenced their picketing campaign initially in front of the Palmyra Development Board Jaffna office and later extended it in front of the Thikkam Distillery bringing the production of palmyra arrack to a complete halt last week demanding that the administration of Thikkam Distillery should be handed over to VPCSF, sources said.

Under the then Peoples Alliance government, the Thikkam Distillery was managed by the then Minister Mr. Douglas Devananda. When the UNF government came to power Minister T.Maheswaran brought the Thikkam distillery under his ministry, sources said.