By Martin Shwenk Leade
AgenciesRepresentative image
Nearly 27 lakh power sector employees across India are set to stage a one-day nationwide strike on July 9, protesting the Uttar Pradesh government鈥檚 decision to privatise two major electricity distribution companies, a move engineers claim could have far-reaching consequences for consumers and the sector at large.The All India Power Engineers’ Federation (AIPEF) on Wednesday said the strike has been called under the banner of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE), in opposition to the proposed privatisation of Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (PVVNL) and Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd (DVVNL).鈥淭hese two discoms together serve 42 of the 75 districts in Uttar Pradesh,鈥 said Shailendra Dubey, chairman of AIPEF.Privatisation push sparks sector-wide protestDubey said demonstrations are already underway nationwide and warned that the proposed July 9 strike 鈥 if carried out at full scale 鈥 could disrupt power supply in several regions.鈥淥n the call of umbrella body National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE), the power employees, junior engineers and engineers across the country have held massive demonstrations in protest against the privatization of the discoms,鈥 he said.Live EventsThe federation has accused the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd and some senior state officials of colluding with select private companies to hand over valuable public assets at 鈥渢hrowaway prices.鈥滵ubey alleged that the proposed move to privatise PVVNL and DVVNL is not just an economic decision, but one that could strip farmers and low-income households of subsidised benefits.鈥淔armers and poor people will be deprived of several benefits if the discoms are privatised,鈥 he said.He also issued a stark warning: 鈥淲e will not be responsible if power supply is affected.鈥漈he strike is expected to have a pan-India footprint, with major demonstrations planned in cities including Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Vijayawada, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Nagpur, Raipur, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Vadodara, Rajkot, Guwahati, Shillong, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Ranchi, Srinagar, Jammu, Shimla, Dehradun, Patiala, Jaipur, Kota, Hisar, and Lucknow.The AIPEF has demanded a rollback of the privatisation decision and is urging state and central governments to consult with employees and engineers before implementing sweeping structural changes in the power sector.(With inputs from PTI)(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
Read More News onpower sector strikeJuly 9 nationwide strikeUP discoms privatizationAll India Power Engineers’ Federationpower employees protestNCCOEEEconsumer impact of privatizationelectricity distribution companiesUttar Pradesh Power Corporation LtdPrivatization consequences
(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onpower sector strikeJuly 9 nationwide strikeUP discoms privatizationAll India Power Engineers’ Federationpower employees protestNCCOEEEconsumer impact of privatizationelectricity distribution companiesUttar Pradesh Power Corporation LtdPrivatization consequences(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online….moreless