THOOTHUKUDI: With over 1,300 contract workers striking work since April 17 demanding wage hike, power generation at the NLC Tamil Nadu Power Limited (NTPL) plant in the district has dipped to 260 MW against its capacity of 1000 MW per day. The issue has raised concerns as power demand is at its peak in view of summer.
The contract workers have been demanding NTPL to implement wage hike fixed by Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (DCLC) in June 2021 that mandates equal pay on a par with workers of NLC thermal power plant. The appeal petition of the NTPL against DCLC decree was dismissed by the Madras High Court on March 4. Since then, seven rounds of negotiations regarding revision of salary in accordance with the DCLC order have failed.
Appadurai, leader of the agitation who participated in the seventh round of talks held at the Regional Labour Commissioner’s office in Madurai on Tuesday, said NTPL did not agree to revise the wages rather they have obtained a stay for the DCLC order.
“We wanted the contract workers to resume work in order to give effect to the revised wages, however they refused,” said a senior official from NTPL.
According to sources, power generation has taken a hit as all 1,372 contract workers have boycotted work and are participating in the agitation, which reached its 20th day on Tuesday.
NTPL employs over 200 employees, in addition to contract workers. The contract workers categorised as skilled, unskilled and highly-skilled, are deployed in all departments.
NTPL has two units each having generation capacity of 500 MW per day. One of the units was shut down on May 3 owing to the agitation which began on April 17.
Meanwhile, two bulk carrier vessels that brought coal from Odisha for the NTPL plant, remain anchored at the dedicated berth in VOC port, due to lack of workers to unload the coal.
“The agitation began when coal was being unloaded from one of the ships which had half the load to be unloaded,” said a staff member.
Sources said coal that is dumped in an open yard near the green gate is smouldering due to the high temperature. “Water sprinklers are being used to put out the fire in the open yard,” said a senior official of NTPL.