DHBVN’s 3 divisions go into pvt hands

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, June 24

The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has handed over the operations of three divisions in Hisar, Gurgaon and Faridabad districts to private operators even as power corporation employees have announced to go on strike on June 29 and 30.

A senior official of the DHBVN told The Tribune that orders had been given for outsourcing some services in 12 subdivisions in three districts. The private operators started their services earlier this week in these areas, the official said.

The DHBVN, which has headquarters in Hisar, and UHBVN with headquarters at Panchkula have decided to privatise 23 subdivisions in their respective circles. The DHBVN and UHBVN have privatised 12 and 11 subdivisions, respectively.

“We have not completely privatised these subdivisions. The original staff of the corporation would also remain posted at these places. We have just reduced the workload on these employees,” said the official.

The DHBVN official said the services had been privatised on a pilot basis, which would be reviewed after some time.

Criticising the state government’s decision to impose the Essential Services Maintanance Act (ESMA) in view of the strike, the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh said the decision exposed the BJP government’s anti-employees’ face. “The employees have been exercising their democratic right, but the dictatorial attitude of the state government is leading to a face-off between the authorities and the employees,” said Jai Bhagwan, district president, HKM.

Dept cancels leave

Panipat: The Power Department has cancelled all types of leave of employees and officers in view of the proposed two-day strike on June 29 and 30. The Haryana State Electricity Board Workers Union and All-Haryana Power Corporation Workers Union have called a two-day strike under the banner of Haryana Joint Action Committee on June 29 and 30 against privatisation of 23 subdivisions in the state. AK Raheja, Superintending Engineer, UHBVN, said: “Teams of JE to XEN-level officers have been constituted and they will start working in advance from 6pm on June 28 as the strike will start after 10 pm.” “There are 695 regular and 165 contractual employees in Panipat. We will have nine extra officials, including five from Panipat Thermal Power Station and four XENs from the headquarters. They will remain here during the strike,” he added. “A letter had been written to the contractor to ensure that no contractual worker takes part in the strike,” he said. TNS