Power employees protest against privatisation

Tribune News Service
Jammu, September 18

The Jammu and Kashmir Power Employees and Engineers Coordination Committee staged a protest against privatisation of the Power Development Department (PDD).

The protesters urged the government to ensure that employees’ interests were kept on mind before taking any decision to unbundle the department.

“The government needs to assure in the transition plan document terminal benefits like payment of gratuity in one go, pension benefits, DA, SRO 43, medical benefits and annual increments and benefits of pay commission are extended,” said Sachin Tikku, convener, Forum of Engineer.

Meanwhile, the Lineman Worker Union also held a protest outside the PDD office, Udhampur, seeking fulfilment of their pending demands before privatisation of the department. The protesters alleged that even workers, who had completed 20 years of their service, had not been regularised yet.

The employees alleged that the government was not clarifying about the future of the employees after the PDD would be bifurcated between Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. It is estimated that about 30,000 employees will be affected by the decision of the state government to reorganise the PDD.