KOCHI: The National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) will take out a protest march to the venue of the conference of state power ministers at 11 am on Friday demanding revocation of the proposed amendment to the Electricity Act 2003.
The coordination committee office bearers said that thousands of activists from South India will participate in the protest marches that will begin from Marine Drive and from Container Road. Even the World Bank, that usually stands for vigorous reforms, had warned against the proposed amendments, K O Habeeb, the national leader of the NCCOEEE said. A public meeting at Marine Drive after the march will be addressed by national leaders of the organisation.
The reforms in the power sector since liberalisation have put a heavy burden on the distribution companies. In the past 12 years, the losses accrued by power distribution companies have crossed Rs 2,60,000 crores and their debt has gone above Rs 3.5 lakh crores. The proposed amendments will further worsen the situation, he pointed out.
The NCCOEEE also alleged that the government did not consult the trade unions in the sector while formulating the amendments. Even the parliamentary standing committee on power sector reforms did not take into consideration the view point of the unions. Besides, 18 states, including Kerala and Gujarat had expressed strong reservations on the amendments, the leaders said.
If the government went ahead with the amendments, NCCOEEE will take to the streets with strong agitations, the union leaders warned.