E-Paper
UPPCL employees to stage dharna in Lucknow on Nov 20
THOUSANDS OF employees of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation would stage a dharna at Shakti Bhawan in Lucknow on November 20 in support of their 21 point demands.
THOUSANDS OF employees of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation would stage a dharna at Shakti Bhawan in Lucknow on November 20 in support of their 21 point demands.
State president of Vidyut Mazdoor Sangthan RS Rai blamed the power policies of the government due to which the strength of the employees has reduced to a considerable point while the work pressure has increased which has had an adverse impact on the performance of the power corporation employees who ultimately are bearing the brunt of angry consumers, he said.
Talking to media persons, Rai said that in the last two-decade power consumers’ strength has increased to around 95 lakh while the strength of the power employees has reduced to 45000 . The huge gap between the required number of employees and actual working staff has compounded the power woes of the consumers.
Rai claimed that outsourcing and contract system introduced in the power sector in various states was a total failure and the Uttar Pradesh government should learn a lesson from it.
Rai said around 35000 posts are lying vacant in the department and now state government is planning to give the power substations to the ITI trainees on assignment for its maintenance. He demanded to implement the provisions of Electricity Rules 1956 and to ensure the EPF to the employees. Rai said in Harduaganj and Obra power substation the muscle men have illegally possessed the flats made for the power corporation employees and the state government has turned a blind eye to the matter.
Rai demanded to increase the service length of the power corporation employees’ upto 60 years of age and to introduce revised pay scale from January 1, 1996.
He also demanded to regularise the services of daily wages employees and to revise 17000 post of technicians, line men and store keepers in the department.
Rai demanded immediate intervention of Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav to resolve the dilemma of the power corporation employees rather than ignoring them.
Meanwhile, members of UP Bijli Karmchari Sangh staged a dharna at GM power corporation office demanding the pension of the retired employees to be paid.
Presiding over the dharna, district president of association Laxmi Prasad Singh, Ranjeet Singh and others also demanded that free electricity supply should be continued to the departmental officials.
