The National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) has announced nationwide protests against the privatisation of electricity in Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh.
In Uttar Pradesh, for the second consecutive week, power employees continued their protest by wearing black bands. The campaign of tying black bands will continue on Tuesday also.
All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) chairman Shailendra Dubey said that according to the decision of the NCCOEEE, power employees and engineers would protest in the capitals of all the provinces of the country on January 23 against the pre-bidding conference for privatisation in Uttar Pradesh and hold a press conference demanding cancellation of the privatisation process.
Similarly, on January 31, protests will be held at district and project headquarters in all the provinces of the country against the plan for takeover of Chandigarh’s electricity by a private company on February 1.
The NCCOEEE includes All India Power Engineers Federation, All India Power Diploma Engineers Federation, All India Electricity Employees Federation of India, Electricity Employees Federation of India, Indian Electricity Employees Federation, All India Power Men’s Federation.
Power employees, contract workers and engineers of Uttar Pradesh protested against privatisation by wearing black bands throughout the day. Protests were held in all the district/projects after lunch break or office hours.
The coordination committee said that the pre-bidding conference for appointing a transaction consultant for the privatisation of Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam and Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam should be canceled immediately. It said the electricity workers would strongly protest against the pre-bidding conference across the state.