The 72-hour long strike by around one lakh power employees in Uttar Pradesh has had an impact on the electricity supply in the state since last night.
The agitating power employees went on a strike over non implementation of their pending demands from 1000 pm on Thursday night.
Though Allahabad High Court on Friday has issued a contempt notice to the leaders of the agitating power employees and UP power Minister A K Sharma issuing stern warning to the employees and even threatening to issue warrants for their arrest, the power employees were adamant in continuing their strike.
The UP government moved a petition in the Allahabad HC on Friday claiming that the strike is a violation of the order of the HC, which clearly states that power supply should not be interrupted at any cost.
Shailendra Dubey, president of Vidyut Karmachari Sangharsh Samiti told “The Statesman” that the Power employees’ strike will continue till the government agrees on their demands. He accepted that Allahabad HC has taken up the issue and he, along with other leaders, will appear in the court on Monday to present their side.
He claimed that the strike witnessed a major impact on the power supply in the state. “Five generation units have closed today due to lack of workers while transmission lines are closed and the supply system of 33/11 KV sub-stations has collapsed on a large scale,” he said.
Holding the top management of the power corporations responsible for the strike, the officials of the Sangharsh Samiti said that the electricity workers are fighting to honor the agreement made with the Energy Minister. The Sangharsh Samiti has strongly countered the allegations of sabotage leveled by the Energy Minister, saying that the power workers consider the power plants as their mother and were agitating peacefully.
Two units of 210-210 MW capacity in Anpara, No. 9 and 2 units of 200-200 MW capacity in Obra and No. 3 unit of 210 MW capacity in Parichha had been closed. Apart from this, one unit of 210 MW and one unit of 500 MW at Anpara and one unit of 110 MW at Parichha which were already closed could not be started during the strike due to non-availability of electricity workers.
In this way a total production of 1850 MW has been affected. Officials of the Sangharsh Samiti told that not a single electrician has gone on duty to work in the power houses and the strike is 100%.
Meanwhile, State Energy Minister A K Sharma said that their 72-hour strike for boycott of work by electrical workers and some organizations is completely unconstitutional and not in the interest of the people and the nation.
“This strike will become an obstacle in the development of the country and the state. Only some anti-national people and forces can do such an act”, he alleged.
The minister too admitted that complaints of disruption and damage to power supply have been received from different places.
Though he maintained that power supply in the state is completely under control. Supply, demand and local supply are fully controlled. Power supply and generation is sufficient. Sufficient power is also being received from the central pool. There is no major incident or unpleasant news from anywhere.
The power workers have started agitation from Tuesday demanding the implementation of the written agreement signed in the presence of the Energy Minister on December 3.
The main demand of the power employees is that electronic meters should not be installed at the houses of working and retired electricity workers.
Other demands include the process of privatization of power generation and transmission should be stopped immediately, the work of construction, operation and maintenance of two units of 800 MW capacity each in Obra and Anpara should be given to UP State Power Generation Corporation instead of NTPC or any other company, the old pension system of power workers should be implemented and contract workers should be regularized like in Telangana and Rajasthan.