Protests are brewing over the Centre’s decision to close down the Kochi unit of Hindustan Organic Chemicals Ltd (HOCL). The National Confederation of Officers Associations (NCOA) said in a statement that the decision to wind up the operations of the profit-making unit is unfair and even against the policy of the government to close down loss making units only.

The decision, according to the NCOA, was communicated by the government representative at a BIFR hearing without informing the other stakeholders. It is suspected to be an attempt to favour a private company interested in taking over HOCL’s Kochi unit assets, alleged Baby Thomas, NCOA Secretary General.