More than 1,200 employees who are native to Andhra Pradesh, but working in the Telangana power utilities, are facing an uncertain future as they received relieving orders from their respective employers on Thursday rendering them virtually jobless.
The orders came in the aftermath of the Telangana government approving the guidelines for division of employees between the two States. The guidelines stipulated that nativity (place of birth) of employees be the basis for the final allocation between two States.
Even while TSSPDCL employees have filed two separate petitions seeking High Court’s intervention on Wednesday, all Andhra-native employees of TSTransco, TSGenco, TSSPDCL and TSNPDCL have been relieved by the parent companies a day later, with no assurance of continuation of tenure in AP power utilities.
“Now, even if we obtain an order for maintaining status quo from the court, it will be our relieved status which will continue,” despaired M. Surendra, a divisional engineer (now relieved) from Mahabubnagar district. The employees thus removed include 522 from TSGenco, 262 from TSTransco, 321 from TSSPDCL, and 168 from TSNPDCL, besides the employees who had been provisionally transferred to APSPDCL along with transfer of Anantapur and Kurnool.
Highly placed official sources from the Andhra Pradesh Energy Department informed that the issue is not of their concern, as the employees did not belong there.
“The Chief Secretaries of both the governments had a meeting with the Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Home Affairs, on March 20, where it was decided to constitute a joint committee over the employee bifurcation in power utilities, and arrive at a consensus. But each time we wanted to meet, the Telangana officials denied to come to the table, saying their government will take a stand,” the official informed.
Now, the employees are left to fend for themselves, with uncertainty looming even over their next month’s pay.
“Many of us have loans to pay back. This decision is a blow on our dignity. We did not find employment through unfair means. The GO 610 did not apply to us in the first place. I, for one, wrote an examination for AE post in the APSEB and got selected through proper recruitment procedure. Why should I pay for someone else’s fault?” questions an angry Mr. Surendra.
Employees left to fend for themselves with uncertainty looming over their next month’s pay
