VIJAYAWADA: Even as the AP State Power Employees Joint Action Committee (APSPEJAC) continued its relay hunger strike demanding immediate resolution of issues plaguing the power sector, the energy department has requested the employees to postpone the agitation in view of “critical situation existing” at present.
The department asserted that “best efforts” will be made to schedule the intended meeting with Energy Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy to resolve the issues raised by the JAC.
In a letter to the JAC on Friday, APTransco Joint Managing Director K Sreedhar Reddy, on behalf of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of APTransco Srikant Nagulapalli, said that efforts were being made to apprise the Energy Minister about the situation and that a meeting may be scheduled next week with Balineni.
“Keeping in view of Covid-19 pandemic situation and public interest at large during Diwali festival, it is once again requested to postpone the agitation in the best interest of public service,” the letter said. It may be noted that the JAC has been staging various demonstrations since October 19. The JAC said that it took the path of agitation after the managements of the power utilities did not act on the critical issues it raised in the last six-seven months.
Though a round of talks were held with the energy secretary and the minister separately, the JAC said no concrete resolution has been made.