JAMMU, DECEMBER 18: A number of areas across UT had plunged into darkness on Saturday after more than 20,000 employees of the Jammu and Kashmir’s erstwhile Power Development Department, from linemen to engineers, went on indefinite strike in protest against government move to privatize the grid stations and power distribution system across the Union Territory.
According to reports reaching here, there was no power in various parts of Kathua, Rajouri and Jammu districts since morning. There was uncertainty about the restoration of power supply in view of the striking employees’ decision not to undertake any repair or restoration work in case of any fault at 132, 33 and 11 KV level.
The indefinite tool down – pen down strike, which left the entire Union Territory in a state of uncertainty in respect to power supply, followed failure of two rounds of talks between the striking employees and the UT Government representatives including Shivanant Tyal, Managing Director of the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited here, over the issue of maintenance of distribution and transmission network in joint venture bymerging Power Transmission Corporations Limited of both Kashmir and Jammu divisions with the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited. The agitators are opposed to the merger move which was announced by the Government on December 4.
Managing Director Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited, Shivanant Tyal, however, said that the UT government had during talks with employee leaders in the afternoon itself had agreed to hold the merger move and re-examine all the areas of concern raised by latter. “We had also assured them that all the stakeholders will be taken into confidence in the matter,’’ he said, adding that the employees have now come up with other demands like grant of salary from the government treasury.
To deal with the situation arising out of strike, he said that the government has decided to avail the services of private people to attend to faults arising in distribution and transmission of power.
Pointing out that the UT Government has converted the J&K Power Development Department into Power Transmission Corporation Limited and Power Distribution Corporation Limited for each Kashmir and Jammu divisions, sources said that while the PTCLs maintain transmission lines above 33 KV in their respective divisions, the PDCLs take care of transmission lines upto 33 KV and the grid stations.
The strike was against UT government’s move to merge Power Transmission Corporation Limited of both Kashmir and Jammu divisions with Power Grid Corporation of India Limited. It was also merging a part of Power Distribution Corporations which look after transmission lines up to 33 KV in both the regions, one of the striking engineer said, adding the all the employees, right from Lineman to Executive Engineer are on strike.
“We had already warned the government of such situation,’’ another engineer said, adding that no one will attend any fault at the grid station, or in distribution and transmission network during the strike.
They employee leaders said that since the birfurcation of Power Development Department into different Corporations by the UT government in 2019, they have not been paid even their monthly salary on time. There are also issues concerning their promotions, regularization of daily wagers etc.
Shivanant Tyal, however, said that the creation of corporations was part of power sector reforms taken all over the country. While these had taken place elsewhere the country long ago, these were introduced in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, said, adding that administrative changes also take place whenever there are changes in the system.
The employees who were earlier paid salary from government treasury are now paid from grants to the Corporations, he said the agitating employees are asking for reverting back to the previous system. This was not possible as the UT will have to lose all Central grants in respect to power sector, he said.
“We have assured them that their all the issues including promotions, timely salary etc., will be taken care of, but the employees have decided to go on strike,’’ he said.
