People's Democracy

  UP Govt Warned Against Using Repression On Electricity Employees

THE National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees & Engineers (NCCOEEE) has strongly condemned the Uttar Pradesh government for unleashing repression on the electricity employees of the state who are opposing the privatisation of Anpara-C power station.

The convenor of the committee, B S Meel, in a statement issued on July 1 warned the Mulayam Singh government that if it continues the use of draconian laws and intimidating tactics against the protesting employees then there would be a nationwide protest by electricity employees in solidarity of the struggle being waged by their UP counterparts.

Uttar Pradesh is presently experiencing a severe power crisis. It is also witnessing a tussle between the state government and agitating electricity employees on the issue of privatisation of Anpara-C power station. The crux of the matter is that employees are not allowing entry of independent power producers (IPPs) at Anpara who want to inspect the facilities in order to quote their bids. The stand of the employees that Anpara-C must be executed under the public sector has a reason.

The NCCOEEE further stated that in both the 8th and 9th Plan, the generation capacity addition targets have slipped by more than 5000 MW mainly due to the failure of IPPs to achieve the targets assigned to them. It, therefore, felt that the state government’s insistence to hand over the works to IPPs in the face of agitating employees is uncalled for. It condemned the repression let loose on the protesting employees.

Requesting the chief minister to desist from terrorising the employees and end the confrontational approach, the committee asked the government to hold talks in order to reach a settlement.

“If the government of UP does not initiate the negotiation with the agitating electricity employees and withdraws enforcement of repressive laws by July 1 the electricity employees countrywide will hold protest meetings in the respective state capitals on July 2 and rallies, protests, walkout will be held on July 4, 2005”, the NCCOEEE stated. (INN)