A cloud has been cast over one of the city’s most popular fun destinations, and it could rain unrest.

Activity at Nicco Park may be disrupted from next Monday with the Intuc-affiliated Nicco Parks and Resorts Employees Union ready to launch a sit-in demonstration to protest against non-revision of their wages.

The wage agreement of the employees of Nicco Park had run out on March 31, 2003. The employees had submitted their charter of demands but the management is yet to come up with a revised wage structure, they allege.

Arijit Sengupta, chief executive officer of Nicco Parks and Resorts said: “We have not been informed by the Intuc union about their move. So we cannot comment whether the activities at the park will be disrupted or not.”

He, however, admitted that the wage revision of Nicco Park employees had not taken place even though the agreement expired in March 2003. “We are in constant dialogue with the employees but nothing concrete has emerged,” he added.

Milan Chowdhury, working president of the Intuc-affiliated union, meanwhile, said: “We have already informed the management about our move. We want the management to immediately come up with the revised wage structure. After all, Nicco Parks and Resorts is a profitable company.”

The audited financial results of the company as on September 30, 2003 show the company registering net sales of Rs 14.40 crore and net profit of Rs 1.65 crore.

The union has also demanded that the Bengal government — which holds nearly 26 per cent stake in the company — should step in to resolve the impasse over wage revision.

Nicco Parks and Resorts is a joint sector company with Nicco Corporation and West Bengal government represented by West Bengal Industrial Development corporation and West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Limited.

There are 207 employees at Nicco Park and 50 of them belong to the Intuc union. The rest belong to the Citu.

Though the management was tight-lipped about the fall-out of the agitation, the president of the Intuc-affiliated union did not rule out disruption in running of the different rides which children enjoy at the park. “There are staff to assist the children. Our decision to go in for a sit-in demonstration may hit all these activities to some extent,” he stated.

Nicco Park offers a various attractions like cable car, merry-go-round, striking cars, moon raker, toy train, pirate ship and many more.

The major attraction of Nicco Park is the River Cave Ride which features a six minute boat ride through a tunnel of fantasy with a section on space, forest fires, dinosaurs, an erupting volcano, the world of ancient Egypt and others.