CHANDIGARH: Lakhs of power sector employees and engineers across the country held peacefully hour-long protest meetings seeking withdrawal of Electricity Bill 2021
and to oppose the privatization process of electricity distribution in Union Territories and other states, said VK Gupta spokesperson All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF).
The protest meetings were held under the banner of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) Telangana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Uttrakhand, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh. and in all states and union territories. After the withdrawal of the work boycott call, successful protest rallies were held at power utility headquarters and other major generating stations.
In Chandigarh complete strike was observed on Tuesday to protest the approval of the highest bidder for privatization of the electricity department by the empowered committee.
Gupta stated that in case the electricity (amendment ) bill 2021 is introduced in the In the current session of Parliament, there will be an immediate work boycott across the country.
Last week the Kerala Assembly unanimously passed a resolution urging the center to withdraw the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill, 2021, saying it would facilitate free entry of private players into the sector and help vest its entire control with the union government. Even West Bengal chief minister has written to prime minister Such a laissez-faire approach would result in the concentration of private profit-focussed utility players in the lucrative urban-industrial segments, while poor and rural consumers would be left to be tended by public sector Discoms.
The move to abolish the cross-subsidy in a time-bound manner and proposing a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to such consumers by the state governments will snatch away the rights of access to electricity for farmers and poor domestic consumers.
The Central Govt seems more concerned over the profitability of private power companies than protecting consumer interests.