J&K:
Power outages to persist as Govt still ‘reluctant’ to talk to striking employees
Neyaz Elahi
Srinagar, Dec 19, KNT: As the strike from Power Employees against the privatization move entered the second day on Sunday, Government is still not bothering to negotiate with the protesting employees.
Parts of Jammu and Kashmir are reeling under darkness as employees from Power Development Department are refraining from restoring the electricity in the areas that have developed snags.
Chief Engineer Power Development Department Aijaz Dar told news agency Kashmir News Trust that efforts are on to convince the employees to end their strike but Jammu and Kashmir Power Employees and Engineers Coordination Committee (JKPEECC) maintained that Administrative Secretary Power Department Nitheswar Kumar has not contacted the Coordination Committee yet.
Convenor, Jammu and Kashmir Power Employees and Engineers Coordination Committee, Munshi Majid Ali told KNT that from lineman to engineer, all employees of power department are on strike against the privatization move of the government.
In response to a question, he said Chief Engineer is not competitive authority as he is also part of the Coordination Committee which is on strike.
“Let the Administrative Secretary Niteshwar Kumar authorize any person on his behalf, but as of now we didn’t get any response from the government,” Engineer Munshi Majid Ali said.
He said the strike will continue till the government doesn’t shelve the proposal of Joint Venture of JKPTCL with PGCIL-a step towards privatization.
Various parts of Jammu and Kashmir including Srinagar are facing power outages due to the strike.
When asked people are suffering due to strike, Engineer Munshi Majid Ali said if government is bothered about people then it should talk to the Coordination Committee. “Our motive is never the disruption of electricity but, yes- we are not going to restore the electricity in the areas that have developed faults. Except hospitals, employees will not attend any area in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Efforts to contact Principal Secretary Niteshwar Kumar didn’t materialize. (KNT)
