All-India Power Engineers’ Federation (AIPEF) has extended its support to the day-long countrywide strike on September 2 to protest the proposed amendment in the Indian Electricity Act, 2014.
It will also launch a nation-wide campaign to inform people why the government intends to amend the Act and its underlying motive.
The AIPEF said the decision to support the September 2 strike was taken in a meeting of National Co-ordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers held in New Delhi on Sunday.
AIPEF chairman Shailendra Dubey said the main objective for amendment in the Indian Electricity Act was to provide undue benefit to the private sector at the cost of common consumer.
In a statement issued here on Monday, Dubey said the National Democratic Alliance government’s move to amend the Indian Electricity Act, 2014 was anti-people and many state governments were against it.
He said a nation-wide campaign would be launched before the strike and meetings of power engineers and employees would be held at the district and state levels to create awareness among the power consumers.
Dubey said that besides the AIPEF, All-India Federation of Power Diploma Engineers, All-India Federation of Electricity Employees, Electricity Employees’ Federation of India, Indian National Electricity Workers’ Federation, All-India Powermen’s Federation would also participate in the awareness campaign and strike work on September 2.
The AIPEF leader said that over 12 lakh power employees and engineers would take part in the day-long strike. He said that a conference of power employees and engineers would be held in each state from August 10 to 31 and an awareness campaign would be launched on September 21 and it would conclude on October 20.
“During the campaign, power employees and engineers will spread awareness among people through various means — demonstration, human chain and public meetings. The people will be made aware of the pro-corporate policies of the NDA government at the Centre,” he added.
Expressing concern over the rising power tariff in the country, Dubey said that with growing share of private sectors in power generation, the cost was also increasing and soon it would become unaffordable for the masses.
The AIPEF chairman urged Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal to stop playing hide and seek with power employees and engineers and provide draft of the amendment bill sent to all the state government to power employees also.
The amendment proposes separation of power distribution and supply and licences to more than one private companies to supply electricity in a particular city or area.