Chandigarh may witness another power cut this month, as the employees of the Chandigarh power department have decided to observe
another strike, this time for 72 hours. Earlier, a similar strike caused many sectors to face power cuts for over 24 hours.

The electricity employees of Chandigarh, under the banner of the UT Powermen Union, will observe a 72-hour strike from February 22 to 24 to oppose the privatisation “of the profit-making electricity department of Chandigarh”. They have threatened to make it an indefinite strike if the government does not change its decision.“The annual turnover of the department is more than Rs 1,000 crores and the market value of its total assets is Rs 20,000–25,000 crores. The department is being sold for Rs 871 crores despite making a profit of over Rs 1,000 crores in the last 5 years. There is no justification for the privatisation of the electricity department.

Section 133 of the Electricity Act 2003 makes it compulsory that under the favourable transfer scheme, the service conditions of employees and staff must not be less favourable,” VK Gupta stated.

The employees stated, “The National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) vehemently oppose selective privatization with commercially lucrative revenue potential area of distribution utilities and support the strike of Chandigarh power employees.”

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has approved Eminent Enterprises company from taking over the Chandigarh Power department. The process of transfer facilities has started and the company will take over by March.

Chandigarh power employees have already gone on a one day strike early this February. A joint convention with the city’s political parties, resident welfare committees, trade unions and social organizations and a massive dharna is also scheduled for February 15.

The department’s employees specified that the power supply rate in Chandigarh is lowest in comparison to adjoining states because of “cheap hydro and thermal power from central projects and a three per cent share in the BBMB”. The employees fear is that they might lose their jobs and their service conditions may not be protected.

“The annual turnover of the department is more than Rs 1,000 crores and the market value of its total assets is Rs 20,000–25,000 crores. The department is being sold for Rs 871 crores despite making a profit of over Rs 1,000 crores in the last 5 years. There is no justification for the privatisation of the electricity department.

Section 133 of the Electricity Act 2003 makes it compulsory that under the favourable transfer scheme, the service conditions of employees and staff must not be less favourable,” VK Gupta stated.

The employees stated, “The National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) vehemently oppose selective privatization with commercially lucrative revenue potential area of distribution utilities and support the strike of Chandigarh power employees.”

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has approved Eminent Enterprises company from taking over the Chandigarh Power department. The process of transfer facilities has started and the company will take over by March.

Chandigarh power employees have already gone on a one day strike early this February. A joint convention with the city’s political parties, resident welfare committees, trade unions and social organizations and a massive dharna is also scheduled for February 15.

The department’s employees specified that the power supply rate in Chandigarh is lowest in comparison to adjoining states because of “cheap hydro and thermal power from central projects and a three per cent share in the BBMB”. The employees fear is that they might lose their jobs and their service conditions may not be protected.

V K Gupta spokesperson of All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) said that the privatisation of union territories “is just a preamble of government policy to privatise the state electricity boards”.