As the tender for appointment of a consultant to privatisation of power distribution in four mega cities of UP is likely to be opened on May 29, a consumer body has stressed on the efforts in this direction being illegal.
The UP Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) on April 2 last, responding to a case filed by UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad (UPRVUP) had sought reply over some points pertaining to privatisation from UP Power Corporation limited (UPPCl).
The UPERC had queried power corporation management that what was the basis of privatisation procedure, what was main basis for selection of areas where power distribution was to be privatised and how this was going to be in interest of consumers. Until the power corporation management files its reply to UPERC, legally it could not initiate for privatisation, said, UPRVUP chairman, Awdhesh Kumar Verma on Sunday.
The water and electricity supply were among essential services affecting lives of people directly. It was unfortunate that state government was finding itself unable to man the power supply which shows it was evading from responsibility, he said.
Citing precedence of Agra city where power distribution was given to a private company, Torrent power during previous Mayawati government, Verma said, the privatisation has been loss incurring and the private company was harassing consumers that was established in an inquiry by the managing director of Dakshinanchal discom few months ago, he said.
On other hand the employee unions of power sector, protesting against privatisation efforts, have announced launching indefinite work boycott from May 29. Under financial restructuring plan (FRP) the government have announced privatising power distribution in Varanasi, Meerut, Kanpur and Ghaziabad.