U.P. power men’s 72-hour token strike from March 16
The strike call has been given in light of the “government’s failure to honour the December 3 agreement”, the power men said
Power employees in Uttar Pradesh will begin a 72-hour token strike on March 16 to press for the implementation of the agreement they signed with the UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) management on December 3, 2022, before ending the strike then.
The U.P. Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti took a decision in this regard at a meeting here on Friday evening.
“All employees, engineers and junior engineers will begin a token strike for 72 hours on March 16 in protest against the UPPCL and government’s failure to honour the December 3 agreement, as well as the bid to privatise several services in the Utpadan Nigam and the transmission corporation,” Sangharsh Samiti convenor Shailendra Duney said.
He said prior to the token strike starting, torch processions would be taken out in the state capital and other cities on March 14. “We may give a call for an indefinite strike too if the token strike fails to produce desired results,” he warned.
UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad chairman Avdhesh Kumar Verma, in the meantime, has demanded the Central government to put a ceiling on the maximum price on power to be sold by energy exchanges to states.
“U.P. and other states are forced to buy power at a very high price from the energy exchange due to a lack of transparency in the pricing mechanism, he said adding, “The Centre must cap the price at ₹6 per unit. Currently, power from the energy exchange comes at ₹12 per unit.”
NPCL assures cooperation
Noida Power Company Limited (NPCL) has offered full cooperation to the UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) vigilance wing in dealing with cases of power theft in Greater Noida, a NPCL spokesman said here on Saturday.
The company’s assurance came when director-general, vigilance, SN Sabat, recently visited the NPCL office and held a meeting with officials there. “Our MD, PR Kumar assured the DG of full support in dealing with power theft in Greater Noida, the city where the NPCL has the licence to supply power to consumers,” the spokesman said.
According to him, Sabat also reviewed the progress of investigation into cases registered at the anti-power theft police stations in the city.
