UP Power Corporation employees announced to boycott work on March 27 to protest privatization of power distribution in seven districts. The employees would strike work indefinitely if the process of privatization of power distribution in seven districts was not rolled back by the state government.
Angry power employees under the banner of `Power employee’s joint action committee’ on Monday, staged a day-long demonstration at Shakti Bhawan - the headquarter of UP Power Corporation limited (UPPCl).
Convener of the committee Shailendra Dube alleged that UPPCl officials misled Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath into taking anti-people decision. He said that the government on Mondayreleased data on improvement in power sector which included increased hours of supply and new power connections to the poor.
“When the government itself is claiming all round improvement in power sector in the last one year, how can it justify privatization of power distribution in seven districts,” asked Dube.
In February, the UPPCl floated tenders to hand over work of power bill distribution, meter reading , revenue collection and installation, change of meters to private companies terming them as Integrated Service Providers (ISPs). The ISPs were to operate in seven districts - Etawah, Kannauj, Orai, Rae Bareli, Saharanpur, Mau and Ballia.
As per the tender, the process of awarding of contract to the ISP was to be completed by March 28 and a letter of Intent (lOI) was to be given by that date.
Justifying the UPPCl move and hiring of the ISPs, an official said that it was planned to generate higher revenue in loss-making divisions of various districts. It will be initiated in divisions where power theft was rampant and caused subsequent revenue loss upto 35 per cent. Power regulator UP State Electricity Regulatory Commission also directed the UPPCl to bring down line losses to 15 per cent by the end of 2018-19.
Not satisfied by the UPPCl explanation, irate Power employees however adopted confrontational path and accused the government of introducing privatisation through back door to benefit private companies.
“We asked to the management to recall tenders already floated for outsourcing in seven districts within a week, failing which the employees will go on strike,’’ warned the Convener of Power Employees Joint Action Committee.
Dube said that the UPPCl already held a pre-bid conference with prospective bidders for appointing ISPs in seven districts. He said that by March 28, power distribution in seven districts would be handed over to the private companies.