The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Employees’ Union (APEEU) has condemned the ‘efforts of the Centre’ to disintegrate the electricity companies in the State by handing them over to the private sector through changes in the Electricity Act.
Demanding repeal of the electricity reforms bill immediately, APEEU general secretary V.S.R.K. Ganapathi said that the move was aimed at weakening the public sector power companies.
He warned that electricity companies all over the country had decided to launch a nationwide agitation, if the bill was not withdrawn. He said that while the number of electricity consumers in the State was growing every year, the number of employees was going down. Instead of filling the vacant posts, the government was appointing contract workers and depriving them of minimum wages and other benefits.
Staff shortage
As against the requirement of four employees for every 1,000 consumers, their strength was only 1.9 per 1,000 in the State.
A total 1.3 crore consumers were being served by a mere 25,200 employees and officers in the State.
Demands
Mr. Ganapathi demanded among other things: implementation of wage revision, unlimited medical facility for all employees and extension of ex gratia and life insurance facility to contract workers, who died in accidents while on duty.
The move is aimed at weakening the public sector power companies
V.S.R.K. Ganapathi
APEEU general secretary
