HYDERABAD: The DM Dharmadhikari Committee, the one-man committee constituted by the Supreme Court for allocation of electricity employees between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, on Saturday directed the AP power utilities to absorb 613 power-sector employees who were relieved from Telangana.
The committee also directed it to create supernumerary posts to take in these employees.
Further, the service records of 265 employees, who opted to move from AP to TS, must be scrutinised by the sub-committee, the one-man panel said.
The Dharmadhikari Committee’s two-day meeting with AP and TS power utilities officials concluded on Saturday. The next meeting, to resolve power employees’ pending issues, will be held in Vijayawada on November 2 and 3.
The allocation of employees in the two States should have taken place within a year from the appointed day, i.e., June 2, 2014, but it has not been completed.
Telangana relieved 1,157 employees and wanted them to join the AP power utilities. However, AP refused them, and the power utilities of both States filed cases in the Supreme Court. The court then formed a one-man committee with the retired judge.
The Dharmadhikari Committee felt that the subject matter of the litigation had been an act of the ex-parte, relieving 1,157 Telangana employees and seeking to send them to AP.
“Of the 1,157 unilaterally-relieved employees from Telangana to AP, 42 had not exercised any option, but Telangana is willing to accommodate them; 504 employees of the 1,157 opted for Telangana, and the State is willing to accommodate them.
"Similarly, 241 employees, who got themselves relieved from AP and joined TS, will also be accommodated in TS, as stated by the member of the sub-committee from Telangana,” the Dharmadhikari committee said on Saturday.
However, the dispute centres around 613 employees who had opted for AP. On behalf of Telangana, it has been insisted that AP should agree to accommodate the remaining 613 employees, who were relieved from their postings.
The member of the sub-committee appearing for AP said he had instructions that out of the 613, AP is willing to accommodate 202, and the rest cannot be taken as there aren’t enough sanctioned posts. It was further stated that all these posts were sanctioned for Telangana.
“The one-man committee has a number of sittings with executives of both sides and members of the sub-committee. The differences between the two sides continue, and the employees affected have now virtually lost their patience. In the aforesaid circumstances, the one-man committee has no option but to direct the AP power utilities to allow 202 employees to join AP, for which they are agreeable, and also the remaining 411 employees who have opted for AP,” the Dharmadhikari Committee said.
Meanwhile, Telangana Electricity Employees JAC (TEEJAC) convenor N Shivaji demanded that the allocation of power employees be based on their home state. He demanded that AP take back employees as directed by the committee.