Power employees’ body announces nationwide stir over privatisation of discoms
Protest meetings to be held across the country on Dec 13 and 19, with major electricity panchayats planned in Lucknow on Dec 22 and Chandigarh on Dec 25, says Power Engineers’ Federation chairman
LUCKNOW The National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) announced a nationwide movement against the proposed privatisation of electricity in Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh, warning of widespread protests, if any unilateral actions are taken.
The decision was made during the committees meeting here on Wednesday chaired by vice-chairman Subhash Lamba.
“As per the decision taken in the meeting, protest meetings will be held across the country on December 13 and 19, with major electricity panchayats planned in Lucknow on December 22 and Chandigarh on December 25. The events aim to mobilise power employees, farmers, and consumers against privatisation,” Shailendra Dubey All-India Power Engineers’ Federation chairman, said in a joint press conference with NCCOEEE leaders.
The NCCOEEE resolved that any unilateral move to privatise power distribution corporations in Uttar Pradesh would trigger an immediate nationwide protest by 27 lakh electricity employees, without further notice. A similar response has been planned, if the electricity system in Chandigarh is handed over to private entities.
December 13 will be observed nationwide as Anti-Privatisation Day by power employees. On December 19, coinciding with the martyrdom anniversary of freedom fighters Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaq Ullah Khan, and Thakur Roshan Singh, the day will be marked as ‘Remove Privatisation’ Day with district-level meetings.
The NCCOEEE strongly condemned UP Power Corporation’s privatisation moves, calling them a violation of prior agreements with the Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti. The organisation urged chief minister Yogi Adityanath to intervene and prevent industrial unrest in the state’s energy sector.
The committee alleged that assets worth billions in power distribution corporations were being undervalued. It noted that reserve prices for privatisation are reportedly set at a mere ₹1,000-1,500 crore, despite assets worth trillions. NCCOEEE demanded an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to ensure transparency before any privatisation.
The committee also criticised the privatisation of Rajasthan’s power distribution system and the sale of Rajasthan Generation Corporation assets to NTPC and Coal India Limited, labelling it as a sell-off of public resources.
“NCCOEEE plans to involve farmers and consumers in the upcoming panchayats to highlight the negative impacts of privatisation on employees and electricity tariffs. Legal action and public mobilisation will be pursued if privatisation proceeds without proper evaluation and consultation, “NCCOEEE leader Subhash Lamba said.