Press Release of All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) after their federal executive meeting held at Hyderabad on 28 May 2022
ALL INDIA POWER ENGINEERS FEDERATION
Press Note 30 May 2022
POWER ENGINEERS DEMAND INQUIRY OF COAL CRISIS, WITHDRAWAL OF ELECTRICITY (AMENDMENT) BILL 2021, WITHDRAWAL OF ALL SORT OF PRIVATIZATION, REVIEW OF PPA’s, OLD PENSION SCHEME FOR ALL POWER EMPLOYEES
All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) Federal Executive has demanded a high-level inquiry in the present coal crisis and direction of the Ministry of Power, Govt of India to States to purchase imported coal. AIPEF has also demanded withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2021 and all sorts of privatization in the Power Sector including privatization of profit earning power departments of Union Territories of Chandigarh and Puducherry. AIPEF resolved for review of Power Purchase Agreements and restoration of old pension schemes for all power employees and engineers. AIPEF demanded regular appointments on regular posts and abolishing of outsourcing and contractual workers in the highly technical power sector.
All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) Federal Executive held at Hyderabad on 28 May was presided by AIPEF Chairman Shailendra Dubey. AIPEF Secretary General P Rathnakar Rao, Patron K Ashok Rao & P N Singh, Sr Vice Chairman T Jayanthi & Sunil Jagtap, and delegates from 17 states namely UP, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Punjab, Jammu Kashmir, MP, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, West Bengal, Odisha and Assam participated in the Federal Executive meeting.
AIPEF Chairman Shailendra Dubey and Secretary General P Rathnakar Rao told here that nine resolutions were passed in the Federal Executive meeting. They said that the AIPEF calls upon the farmers, small consumers (including domestic), MSME units in particular and other consumers to join in the struggle to stop privatisation of the Electricity Supply industry.
AIPEF demanded that an independent enquiry be constituted into the coal crisis that has enveloped the country during the summer of 2022 and is likely to extend into the monsoon. The Ministry of Power, Govt, of India in overcoming the crisis on the one hand imposing on the State Governments and Generating Companies to import coal and on the other hand providing relief to private power plants that have been designed and sanctioned to run on imported coal.
AIPEF resolution says Govt of India is wholly responsible for the present coal crisis. Reasons are withdrawal of reserves of Coal India Ltd to the tune of ₨. 35000 crores. These reserves were accumulated in order to develop new coal mines and augment existing mines. The development programme had to be abandoned. Directives to Coal India Ltd to invest in the fertilizer industry thereby neglecting its primary function for meeting coal demands. Non appointment or delayed appointment of key executives such as CMD CIL for several years. Deputation of coal mines managers and executives to “Swachh Bharat” assignment, thereby directly slowing down the development of coal mines.
Therefore, Government of India should take the responsibility & centrally import the coal and ensure that the imported coal is properly blended with domestic coal through Coal India. The price of the blended coal should be based on the same principles and basis as the pricing of the Indian coal. The Govt of India should bear the extra cost of imported coal.
Terming Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2021 as anti-people and anti-employee AIPEF said various models of restructuring have been experimented with over the last almost two decades. It is therefore time to re-examine the best and most optimal solution for the Electrical Power Supply Industry. AIPEF demands Govt of India to withdraw Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2021 and appeals to State Governments/Union Territories to integrate all power utilities in State/UT like KSEB Ltd and HPSEB Ltd in Kerala and Himachal Pradesh respectively.
In case of bidding for privatisation of UT Chandigarh the Standard Bidding Documents had not been approved by central govt. / Govt. of India / Ministry of Power therefore
AIPEF demanded that entire bidding process of UT Chandigarh privatisation should be scrapped and in view of good technical and commercial performance of UT Puducherry, as well as good service rendered to consumers, the Govt. of India should put on hold and stay all moves to initiate privatisation of distribution in UT Puducherry. AIPEF said the draft Standard Bidding Documents along with disclaimer of 20/09/2020 remain an un-approved draft that is pending undecided for the last 20 months. This draft should be withdrawn/scrapped.
AIPEF demand a comprehensive revision of all Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in respect of Fixed cost having to be paid even when no power is drawn, exorbitant high cost of renewable power generation, pass through of increased cost of imported coals, increased cost of generation by Private GENCOs due to generation undertaken under orders issued under Section 11 of EA 2003.
AIPEF demanded from the Central / State Governments that all those employees working in the power sector should be reinstated under the old pension scheme who have been covered under CPF, EPF or NPS. AIPEF demanded regular appointments on regular posts and abolishing of outsourcing and contractual workers in the highly technical power sector.
Shailendra Dubey
Chairman
P Rathnakar Rao
Secretary General