UPPCL employees end strike after privatization deferred till Jan 15
The state-wide work boycott of the state’s electricity employees and engineers began on Monday, and ended on Tuesday evening. In negotiations between the Electricity Staff Joint Conflict Committee and the cabinet sub-committee of the state government’s Finance Minister Suresh Khanna and Energy Minister Shrikant Sharma, the announcement of termination of work boycott was announced after it agreed to defer the proposal for privatization of Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam.
On behalf of the government, Additional Chief Secretary Energy and Power Corporation Chairman Arvind Kumar, State Power Generation Corporation Managing Director Senthil Pandian and Director (Personnel and Administration) A.K. Purwar signed the agreement.
Till late in the night, almost these issues were agreed in the talks, but due to Arvind Kumar’s refusal to sign the agreement, the conflict had increased. After the talks failed on Monday night, the widespread effect of work boycott was visible. On Tuesday, power supply was disrupted in the entire state including the capital. Meanwhile, the Power Officers Association also announced to join the work boycott, which worsened the situation. During the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a meeting with the Energy Minister and top officials of the government to review the situation.
After this, the Cabinet Sub-Committee was tasked to end the deadlock by negotiating with the Conflict Committee. In negotiations with the Cabinet Sub-Committee, it was agreed not to privatize Purvanchal Corporation at present. It has been said in the agreement that in the present system of power distribution corporations in the state, meaningful action will be taken with confidence of employees and engineers for power improvement. No privatization will be done in the state without taking the employees and engineers in confidence.
It has also been agreed that the Sangharsh Samiti will extend full cooperation to the management in making the power sub-stations self-sufficient by making the distribution sector free of corruption, achieving the goal of billing and recovery and fully satisfying consumers. This action of reform will be reviewed monthly by the Energy Minister, Management and Conflict Committee till 15 January 2021. It is clearly written in the agreement that no harassment action will be taken against any contract worker, power worker, inferior engineer and engineer due to the current agitation.
