PUDUCHERRY: A group of engineers and employees of the Puducherry Electricity Department (PED) struck work on Wednesday and staged a demonstration at the PED head office to protest the move of the Central government to privatise the Electricity Distribution Company (Discom) of the Union Territory (UT). The stir was held on the eve of the meeting convened by the Power Secretary with PED employees to discuss the privatisation.
“The department should not be privatised or corporatised by overlooking provisions of the Electricity Act 2003,” said A Velmuragan, general secretary of electricity engineers and employees privatisation protest committee, which has submitted a memorandum in this regard to officials concerned. “We have decided not to attend the meetings slated for December 9 and 10 as they are premature without information on our concerns mentioned in the letter,” said Velmurugan.
The protest committee demanded clarity on whether the UT government has decided to privatise the PED or corporatise it. If so, a copy of the decision approved by a competent authority, along with copies of complete file noting and enclosures, should be furnished, Velmurugan added. Also, the complete draft proposal for privatisation or corporatisaion of PED should be provided to the committee, he added.
The previous Congress-DMK government had opposed the move to privatise the PED and a resolution was adopted in the then Legislative Assembly and sent to the Centre, citing that PED was not running in losses and was providing power to all at cheaper rates.
Plan falls through
A Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister N Rangasamy, had discussed the issue of privatisation of the PED and decided to convene meetings of the staff to explain to them the pros and cons of the plan