PDD employees threaten State wide agitation

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 16: Employees of Power Development Department (PDD) today threatened to launch a State wide agitation if Government does not revoke its recent order of unbundling the department.
Addressing a press conference here this morning, Mohammad Maqbool, General Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Non-Gazetted Electrical Employees Association (JKNGEEA) termed the Government decision is anti-employee and PDD employees would come on streets and raise their protest over the Government order.
“The unbundling of PDD means that the power sector would be privatized and those working in the department would have to look for alternate jobs. The process of privatization has already been set into motion and some companies have already been approached in this context. We will fight the decision tooth and nail and ensure that the unbundling order is revoked,” said Maqbool.
Maqbool said that TATA Power and Wipro have already started survey for taking over the power sector in the State. He said the PDD employees have already been approached by the officials of these companies asking them whether they are interested to work with them.
“We are in complete support of reforms in the power sector but it does not mean that we have to privatize the power sector. Reforms are possible only in the public sector under public utility component with a unified approach. This is possible only with the active involvement of workers and engineers. Reforms are not possible in a privatized set-up since the companies are interested in their revenue and not relief to the people,” said Maqbool.
Maqbool pitched the demand of handing over the power projects being run by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) to the State. He said hydraulic resources of the State are an asset, adding that these should not be surrendered. He added that political parties, NGOs and other stake holders would be involved in the campaign to be launched against the un-bundling of the PDD.
Speaking on the occasion, Rafiq Ahmad Khanyari, State President, Jammu and Kashmir Central Non-Gazetted Electrical Employees Union (JKCNGEEU) said that a convention of PDD employees and workers would be organized on October 20. He said that this would kick-start the programme aimed at making the PDD employees aware about the Government decision of un-bundling the department.
Besides JKNGEEA and JKCNGEEU, the Jammu and Kashmir Power Employees and Workers United Front (JKPEWUF) also consists of SEEWA, TEF and KEEWA. Farooq Ahmad Wangnoo, Zulkarnain Bhat and Nazir Ahmad Magray respective Presidents of SEEWA, TEF and KEEWA were present during the press conference.