The State Government handing over an essential service like water supply to a private company would cost it dear. This order should be immediately withdrawn, said the Odisha State Government Employees’ Coordination Committee on Wednesday.
The Public Health Department is providing drinking water in urban and rural areas to people of the State. Despite the shortage of adequate number of staffs, the permanent and temporary employees are providing water to people during natural calamities and other times.
But with an intention to privatise the department, a organisation named WATCO has been given the responsibility to provide drinking water and its management. This has caused concern among the employees, said committee president Lingaraj Mohanty, working president Srimati Sahu, Sudarshan Pradhan , general secretary Narottam Partahsarathi, ,secretary Purnachandra Nayak, and office secretary Kanhucharan Mallick in a release.
While the Covid-19 lockdown is in force in the State, the decision to hand over water supply of Cuttack and Puri to WATCO by the Public Health Chief Engineer (letter no. 4108 ,dated 30.4 .2020) has been ordered. This is anti-people and anti-employees and should be immediately withdrawn. Besides, all the employees and providing water during the lockdown should be insured and all benefits provided to them, demanded the committee secretary Purnachandra Nayak.