Though the Jharkhand State Electricity Board has invited Electricity Supply Association members for talks on Tuesday, it is not really optimistic about the outcome.
Association president Ajay Rai said that the keeping in mind the attitude of the Board from the beginning on sharing details about franchise issue with the employees their strike call from December 5 was looking imminent.
“We are not much hopeful about the success of the talks. They have just given us assurances. Though it was assured months ago that list of all the casual employees of Ranchi area and their id cards would be made available in a meeting with Energy Minister, nothing has taken place yet. We would go on strike from December 5,” said Rai.
A section of technical employees are opposing to handing over power distribution and bill collection job to private companies on franchise basis for Ranchi and Jamshedpur citing revenue loss the Board would incur. They are also demanding adjustment of casual employees before going ahead with unbundling plan.
After a review meeting with senior officials, Energy Minister Rajendra Singh though looked assured about audits done to access the loss theory and also assured that another firm had been deployed to have a relook.
“The Minister is under pressure from the JSEB chief and Energy Secretary over the issue and unable to decide independently. Is there any logic behind the Board purchasing power at Rs3.40 per unit, giving to the franchise at Rs1.77 per unit which will charge from the consumers at Rs2.40 per unitIJ Where the 63 paisa would goIJ Also the franchise would keep money for a week in its account before handing it over to the Board. It is bizarre,” added a senior official of the Board supporting the strike call.
However the JSEB has made up its mind to go ahead with the decision finding no fault in appointing franchise for the job. JSEB Chairman SN Verma told The Pioneer that there is no looking back over the issue and termed the apprehensions as fictitious.
With the strike call, areas falling in Ranchi Area Board such as Ranchi, Khunti, Simdega, Gumla and lohardaga may see a blackout like situation.
As per the announcement the call is indefinite.