The National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) has decided to resort to one day nationwide strike on December 7 against the Electricity (amendment) bill 2014. The decision was taken in a National Convention meeting held in New Delhi today.

While addressing gathering here the Chairman AIPEF Shaliender Dubey urged the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Members of Parliament and Assemblies to set aside the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014 placed in the Parliament. Highlighting how the people will suffer due to the enactment of this bill, he said that if the act is implemented then it will increase the cost of supply to sky level. It is very much pertinent to note the plea cited by the Government to enact Electricity Act, 2003 was inefficiency and accumulation of huge losses by state electricity boards. Total accumulated loss after 5 decades of socio-economic development service by SEBs was Rs. 26,000 crores. Only After 25 years of so-called market-driven commercial service of all Discoms, the summation of accumulated loss and debt burden touched Rupees 1 million crores even after multi-times tariff hike, he added.

While Chief Patron of the AIPEF  Padamjit Singh sought an explanation from the central government for its failure to keep their assurance of cheaper power for all through boosting efficiency and competition among private entrepreneurs with the implementation of Electricity Act, 2003. Multiple times tariff escalation with the connivance of regulators and private players in power sector gave horrible experience through last 25 years.

He further said that the government is pushing the Bill, meant clearly for the profit of private companies, on the false premise that competition will lead to better services for consumers. But the fact is that it is bound to lead to the supply of electricity becoming more expensive — in a country where nearly 30 crore people are still without electricity.

Giving details Spokesperson AIPEF V K Gupta said that the convention has sought intervention from the law makers to keep the government restrained on the enactment of   Electricity (Amendment) Bill in Parliament without prior discussion with the representatives of organizations of electricity employees and engineers as assured by the former Power Minister. The convention called upon all section of electricity employees and engineers to resort to the path of struggle to retain the right to electricity for all the Indians irrespective of their purchasing power.