PUDUCHERRY: Staff of the Electricity Department, on strike since September 28 protesting against the privatisation of power distribution, called off their indefinite strike on Monday following talks held with the Chief Minister N Rangasamy and Home and Electricity Minister A Namassivayam.
Secretary of the joint action committee of the employees and engineers of the Department of Electricity Velumurugan told PTI that during the talks with the Chief Minister, the committee placed before the government that while it went ahead with its plan to privatise distribution and retail sale of power, care should be taken that the government had greater control over power distribution.
Velumurugan said the Chief Minister promised the employees` representatives that their plea would be considered.
"All the employees will resume duty with immediate effect in response to the assurances given by the Chief Minister during the talks," Velumurugan said.
Power staff went on the strike against the plan to open up power distribution. The whole Puducherry region was plunged into darkness. The government requisitioned services of the staff of Central power grid to take care of power distribution. Paramilitary force was also deployed in several parts to take care of power installations.
Velumurugan said that the arrested employees were being released, The government intensified measures and arrested the employees on strike when they went ahead with demonstrations on Sunday.
The government declared the strike illegal and also announced that the period of strike would be treated as break-in service.