Statement by All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF)
UP POWER PRIVATISATION STRUGGLE
In Uttar Pradesh, privatization of two big electricity distribution corporations, Varanasi DISCOM and Agra DISCOM, has been announced. Due to the privatization of these two DISCOMS, more than 70,000 regular and outsourced employees are facing the threat of retrenchment. The fear is that Uttar Pradesh has been made a laboratory for the privatization of electricity. In the first phase, privatization of two DISCOMS has been announced but the decision is to privatize the entire distribution sector.
You all will agree that the power employees and engineers of Uttar Pradesh have always bravely struggled to stop privatization and set new records in their struggle.
Today the circumstances are very adverse. 18 top office Bearers of Vidyut Karmchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti were summoned to the Honorable High Court. In the interim order, the Honourable High Court has given a strict warning against strikes and power disruption. High Court has banned the strike in Power Sector . This PIL has not yet been disposed of in the High Court. Besides this, FIR has been filed against the top office Bearers of the Sangharsh Samiti for violating ESMA and other several criminal sections. Despite the agreement, the case has not been withdrawn and the harassing actions have not been withdrawn. The power employees of Uttar Pradesh are not afraid of these things. But they are bound by the order of the Honourable High Court because the names of the top office Bearers are mentioned in the interim order.
In such circumstances, we are trying to create a widespread struggle and mass movement against the anti-people decision of privatization.
What is happening in Uttar Pradesh today is a tableau for the entire country. If the Government is successful in carrying out privatization in Uttar Pradesh, then the Government will not face any problem in carrying out privatization work in the entire country.
Therefore, this is the time when the Power employees & engineers of the entire country should stand solidly with Uttar Pradesh and its concrete strategy should be made immediately.
Inquilab Zindabad.
AIPEF