LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), banning strikes, strikes as power employee protest continues for the 191 days continuously.
Shailendra Dubey, chairman, All India Power Engineers’ Federation, expressed concern over the decision, alleging, “The government is not acting in a fair manner and is trying to promote privatisation by imposing acts like ESMA.
It may be added that UPPCL is going ahead with the proposal to private Varanasi and Agra Discoms , with a combined annual revenue of around ₹50, 000 crores , covering 42 districts of state. UPPCL is likely to float tenders for privatisation in the next few weeks.
16 farmer organizations and power employees of UP held joint protest meetings on Wednesday at all districts across the state against the ongoing privatization process and submitted memorandums to the district administration. The employees are holding daily protest meetings for the last 191 days .The main demands of the farmers’ organizations include taking back the decision of privatization, withdrawing the proposal to increase electricity rates, cancel the smart Pre-paid meter scheme and provide 300 units/month of free electricity to farmers, informed V K Gupta, media advisor.
. Vidyut Karamchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti, UP has alleged that the Power Corporation top management and the Chairman are in collusion with private houses in carrying out privatisation in two distribution companies.All the land of 42 districts with distribution companies is being prepared to be given to private houses on a lease of just Rs 1.
The samiti further said that If engineers are punished in the name of privatization, there will be a sharp reaction to it. Anger spread among electricity workers due to the transfer of engineers in Purvanchal Discom on administrative basis.