Defying an order issued by the District Collector prohibiting any agitation on the premises of the Electricity Department (ED) offices, hundreds of workers affiliated to the Electricity Engineers’ and Employees’ Privatisation Protest Committee on Tuesday gathered near the ED head office and staged a protest as part of their indefinite strike against the move by the Union Government to privatise power distribution in the Union Territory.
The Committee had decided to abstain from all works from February 1 to protest the Centre’s decision to hand over the department to a private entity.
Tension prevailed at Vambakeerapalayam as large number of workers from several units who tried to take out a march to the ED head office were blocked by the police. After an argument with the police, they squatted on the road in front of the ED office and staged a protest.
They shouted slogans demanding withdrawal of the decision to privatise power distribution.
According to a committee member, the workers did not attend to any repair, maintenance works or power disruption calls. “We will continue with the strike,” he said.
Meanwhile, a delegation of leaders belonging to the Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi met Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and sought her intervention in addressing the issue.
The delegation urged the Lt. Governor to prevail upon the Prime Minister to drop the move to privatise the department.
CPI secretary A. M Saleem told reporters they would fight till the privatisation proposal was dropped by the Union Government. “We are concerned about the decision and agree to the concerns raised by the workers,” he said. Later in the day, Congress, DMK, Left and VCK leaders staged a protest near Anna Thidal raising the issue.
Meanwhile, AIADMK, an ally of National Democratic Alliance in the Union Territory, has urged the Chief Minister to step in to resolve the issue.
Addressing a press conference, party secretary, East, A. Anbalgan said the Chief Minister and Minister for Power should call a meeting of the representatives of the electricity workers unions to discuss the privatisation issue. The AIADMK would stand with the workers in their fight without causing hardship to the public. The Congress and DMK are trying to gain political mileage on the issue, he added.
In a statement, party secretary, West, Om Sakthi Segar said electricity workers and public are concerned whether privatisation would lead to further increase in power tariff and deposit amount for obtaining electricity connection. He said it was not proper on the part of the district administration to impose curbs on the agitation.
“All political parties should join together to bring justice to the workers and end the indefinite strike,” he said.
