Chandigarh, Jan 18 : A delegation of National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) will meet Punjab Governor on February 1st and handover a memorandum to him against privatisation of Chandigarh (UT) Power Department.
A spokesperson All India Power Engineers Federation(AIPEF) VK Gupta that NCCOEEE online meeting held on Monday was presided by AIPEF Chairman Shailendra Dubey. It was decided to oppose the decision for privatisation of profit-making power departments of Union Territories of Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu and Puducherry. NCCOEEE core committee leaders will reach Chandigarh on February 1 to support UT power sector employees’ strike against privatisation.
It is worthwhile to mention that the Chandigarh Power Department has been making profit for the last seven years. Profit for the year 2020-2021 is Rs 257 crore and line losses in Chandigarh are only 9.2 percent. The electricity tariff of Chandigarh is also cheaper as compared to Punjab and Haryana. The privatisation of such a profit-making utility is not acceptable.
Mr Gupta further said that the legal challenge filed by UT employees is still sub judice as the matter was first referred to the Supreme Court which then directed it to High Court. The next date
of hearing is January 20 and the High Court is yet to decide the case on its merit. It seems that the
UT administration has not brought the full facts of the cast before the central government.
It may be mentioned that the Union Cabinet approved the bid of the highest bidder on January
6 to privatize the electricity department of the Chandigarh administration.
