Report by KEC correspondent
Employees of the Department of Electricity in Puducherry formed a Joint Action committee to protest the proposal of the central government to privatise distribution of power and staged a demonstration on 23 Dec 2021.
Workers carrying banners took out a procession through main roads of the city and held the demonstration at the Head Post office. The Committee had planned to submit a petition to the Lt Governor at the end of the procession but they were stopped at the post office by the police.
The central government is taking steps to privatise distribution of electricity in the Union Territories including Puducherry. Workers rightly believe that it would be a step in the wrong direction as both the power consumers and employees would suffer.
Several political parties have expressed strong protest against the Centre`s decision to privatise power distribution.
Puducherry does not have an Electricity Board and the distribution of power is done through the Department of Electricity. The Puducherry government purchases power from central power generating undertakings to meet the local requirements.