In wake of a strike call given by the UT Powermen Union against privatisation of electricity services from January 1, the UT administration has prohibited the employees of the department to go on a strike for the next six months.
A day after the ministry of home affairs (MHA) extended the Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act (HESMA), 1974, to the Chandigarh, the UT administration replaced the East Punjab Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA), 1947, invoked on December 5, with HESMA.
Satisfied that any strike in the electricity department would affect the generation and maintenance of electricity supply - an essential service, the UT administrator in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of HESMA, declared employment of the department as an essential service to which the provisions of the Act will apply. Further, in exercise of powers conferred by Section 4 A of the Act, the administrator prohibited strike in the department by any of their employees for a period of six months with immediate effect.
As part of the major structural reforms in UT’s power sector, Kolkata-based Eminent Electricity Distribution Limited (EEDL), a subsidiary of the RP Sanjiv Goenka (RPSG) Group, was declared the highest bidder on August 5, 2021. The company had quoted a bid of approximately ₹871 crore, significantly higher than the reserve price of ₹175 crore.
{{/usCountry}}As part of the major structural reforms in UT’s power sector, Kolkata-based Eminent Electricity Distribution Limited (EEDL), a subsidiary of the RP Sanjiv Goenka (RPSG) Group, was declared the highest bidder on August 5, 2021. The company had quoted a bid of approximately ₹871 crore, significantly higher than the reserve price of ₹175 crore.
{{/usCountry}}The UT engineering department is likely to hand over liabilities of the department to the company by the end of this month.
Action against unauthorised absentees
Meanwhile, in a communication circulated, the UT department of personnel directed all head of the departments to ensure actions accordingly for any unauthorised absence in their department and also ensure that all the officials working under their control mark their attendance on a regular basis. In case of any unauthorised absence, the head of the department shall provide the list of absentees to the secretary personnel along with actions being taken against the absentees.