Powermen observe complete strike, decide to go on indefinite strike from February 21 against privatization

Chandigarh, February 1, 2022: The Electricity employees of Chandigarh under the banner of UT Powermen Union today observe a complete strike against the privatization of well running and profit earning  Electricity Department and it was further decided to proceed on an indefinite strike from  21st. February in case the privatization process was not halted.

It was also decided that the employees from northern states will sit on daily chain fast from February 21, against privatization. One state will participate daily in chain fast.

A delegation of employees and engineers  under the banner of  the the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) submitted a memorandum against privatization of  profit making Chandigarh  electricity department to the administrator of Chandigarh.

A massive rally of employees was held in sector 17, Chandigarh which was joined by Prashant Chudhary Convener NCCOEEE,Shailender Dubey Chairman AIPEF,  Samar Sinha from AIMPF, V K Gupta Spokesperson AIPEF,  Sachin Tikoo from  JK Power Engineers Association ,Ajay Pal  Singh Atwal of PSEBEA ,Subhash Lamba of EEFI,Dhankar of Diploma Engineers , Hira Lal Verma from Himachal, Gopal Joshi from Chandigarh and others.

Defying ban,  the complete indefinite strike by employees and engineers in Puducherry has begun today. The various leaders of NCCOEEE after attending the Chandigarh rally have gone to Puducherry to join striking  employees tomorrow. Protest meetings were held in all the states against the privatization policy of the government of India and memorandums were submitted to the state authorities.

V K Gupta spokesperson of AIPEF) said that privatization of union territories is just a preamble of government policy to privatise the state electricity boards. The power sector employees vehemently oppose selective privatization with commercially lucrative revenue potential area of distribution utilities. Further globally, 70 percent of the  distribution  utilities are publicly owned,  and the remaining 30 percent of the privately-owned companies  are located in middle and high-income countries.India is neither a high nor middle-income country. It is a country of low- income population, said V K Gupta.