PUDUCHERRY: Following talks with Chief Minister N Rangasamy, electricity department employees on Monday evening called off their strike on the sixth day. The staff had taken up an indefinite stir on September 28, condemning the government's move to privatise power supply in the Union Territory.
Rangasamy called for a cabinet meeting on Monday afternoon and held a discussion regarding the protest with ministers and officials, including Ministers A Namassivayam, K Lakshminarayanan, D Jayakumar, AK Sai J Saravanan Kumar. Other officials including Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma were present.
According to official sources, the chief minister explained the situation and the UT's decision on privatisation. As he assured to take action regarding the employees' demands such as concern over salaries, the representatives withdrew the strike after talks with the employees.
Earlier, on Saturday night, police detained nearly 300 staff involved in the protest in front of the department office in Oupalam. The protestors were taken to Gorimedu Police Community Hall and were detained there till Monday morning.
They were moved to the Saram Deputy Collector's and presented before Deputy Collector (Revenue) North-cum- Sub-Divisional Magistrate M Kandasamy before being released. Meanwhile, 200 employees continued the protest on Monday before it was called off.
Meanwhile, around 29 employees were booked in connection with allegedly deliberately disconnecting the fuse carriers in various substations across the city. A case was registered under four sections including IPC Sections 143,149, 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), and 448 (Punishment for house-trespass). Steps will be taken to arrest the accused, said police sources.
Earlier, the Secretary to the UT government, Dr T Arun said, in a press release, members of the privatisation protest committee had assured the government that they would not halt the power supply to consumers, and the public would not be affected.
"However, contrary to this, some miscreants sabotaged all three 230 KV sub-stations and various overhead lines, affecting the entire region on Saturday," he charged.
Arun added, "The government proposed to privatise power distribution to increase efficiency and consumer satisfaction." He added, Section 133 of the Electricity Act 2003 ensures all safeguards to employees, and employees are assured that there would not be any salary cuts or changes.