Powermen to boycott review of schemes by UPPCL

LUCKNOW: Angry over the government’s alleged plan to suppress their agitation, powermen on Wednesday declared they would boycott the video conference proposed to be held by the principal secretary, energy and UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) chairman to review schemes on Friday (March 23).

The state’s power employees are protesting the state government’s decision to hand over the power distribution system in five cities, Lucknow, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Meerut and Moradabad to private franchisees.

Taking exception to the chief secretary’s directions asking the administration to strictly deal with protestors, UP Vidyut Karmchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti on Wednesday sent a letter to chief minister Yogi Adityanath urging him to intervene into the matter.

“We have also informed the chief minister that the state’s power engineers will not participate in the video conference that the UPPCL has called on Friday,” Sanghasrh Samiti leader, Shailendra Dubey said, adding “The government as it is evident from the chief secretary’s directions, is trying to crush the peaceful agitation.”

He warned any repressive action would only force the power employees to intensify their agitation. “We are determined to resort to work boycott on March 27 and then decide on a statewide indefinite strike if the franchisee decision was not rolled back.

“The government must review it gains and losses from a similar move whereby it transferred the power distribution of Agra city to a private franchisee in 2010 and for this the franchisee’s accounts must be audited by the CAG,” Dubey demanded.

COME UP WITH BETTER PLAN: ENERGY MINISTER TO CONSUMER BODY

Energy minister Srikant Sharma on Wednesday asked the UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad to come with an action plan the implementation of which could fetch the desired results without having to hand over the five cities to private franchisees.

The minister, however, refused the possibility of the government to reconsider its decision on franchisee unless a better alternative was there.

“The minister asked us to submit to him a proposal for reforms as an alternative to the franchisee model and we will make an action plan available to him within two days,” parishad president, Awadhesh Kumar Verma said.

During his meeting with the minister, Verma explained how the introduction of private franchisee in five cities would go against the interests of consumers as well as the UPPCL. He said the discoms should be provided the performance parameters.