PORT BLAIR: The lone power plant of Suryachakra Power Corporation Limited (SPCL) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with a capacity of 20 MW power, is presently lying powerless as the staffs of the SPCL Power House have called for an indefinite strike over non-payment of salary for last three months.
Although the strike has been continuing for the last five days, the local administration was in no mood to intervene and has termed the strike as the company’s internal matter.
“Owing to the internal problems of the company there have been an occasional threat of strikes by its employees in the past. From 20.07.2017, company's employees have abstained from work owing to non-payment of salary and benefits due from the Company's side. The payment of salary and other benefits to the employees is an internal matter,” the Electricity Department recently clarified indicating that they would not negotiate with the agitating staffs of SPCL.
Meanwhile, the Electricity Department, to manage this 8 MW power loss, has cut power supply in various locations of South Andaman.
On the other hand the employees of SPCL have alleged that the administration has cheated them. “The only reason we had withdrawn our last strike was because the administration had promised us that staff salary would be released from the payment of the administration and would be paid directly. But that promise was not kept and now the administration says that strike by us is company’s internal problem. This is shameful,” said an employee of SPCL.
Meanwhile, SPCL also hit back and said that the administration is playing to benefit some other party by ignoring this issue.
“The Electricity Department is not cooperating for the revamping of the engines and has twisted the facts to malign the company,” said Dr S M Manepalli, Managing Director of SPCL.
The present struggle ego, power and money between three parties viz the SPCL, the Administration and the employees have put the people of South Andaman region in great trouble as such controversy clearly means that power cuts are here to stay in South Andaman region for a long time now.