Power staff gear up for strike

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 25

The six member joint action committee (JAC) of the protesting employees today began meetings across the state to mobilise support for their proposed June 29-30 strike.

Kanwar Singh Yadav, state president of the Haryana State Electricity Workers’ Union, said, “We are holding meetings at division level to prepare for our proposed June 29-30 strike. We have already assured that we would take all steps to ensure power supply for emergency services. The Essential Services Maintenance Act will not have any impact on the strike.”

Vinod Sharma, spokesman of the Haryana Karmchari Mahasangh, said, “The employees are protesting in a peaceful manner. By invoking ESMA the government wants to terrorize without any reason. We have already announced support to power department employees.”

Meanwhile, a government spokesman said arrangements had been made to ensure continuous power supply to all consumers during the proposed strike.

‘Thikri pehras’ to prevent power disruption

Chandigarh: The state government is trying to seek help from panchayats and the general public to safeguard power infrastructure in villages in view of the two-day power staff strike on June 29 and 30.

The district authorities have been asked to seek support of panchayats and general public for round the clock vigil on power sub stations and transformers, a senior government functionary told The Tribune.

He said to ensure maintenance and restoration of power supply in the event of disruption, a decision had been to involve private sector in 23 subdivisions on

Meanwhile, Sirsa DC Sharandeep Kaur Brar and SSP Satinder Kumar Gupta today directed DHBVN to videograph striking employees who indulge in mischief.

Engineers may go on protest

Chandigarh: The engineers of the state power utilities (SPUs) have announced to go on strike, in case the government failed to fulfill their long pending demands, including the restructuring of power distribution companies, revision of work load norms and recruitment of staff. KK Malik, senior vice president of the Haryana Power Engineers Association, said, “There is heavy work load on engineers, but restructuring is not being done. Pay scale revision of assistant engineers is pending, too. The engineers opposed extension given to directors and re-employment of retirees, but nobody paid any heed.”  TNS

Employees burn copies of ESMA

Karnal: Raising their voice against the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) invoked by the state government ahead of the strike by power employees on June 29 and 30, employees of various departments under the banner of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh and Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh today protested and burnt copies of Act here. The protesters, led by Om Parkash Sinhmar and Vishawnath Sharma, assembled at the Karan Park and took out a procession in the city against invoking of the ESMA. Sinhmar said it was a draconian law and the government should hold talks with the employees instead of invoking the Act. TNS