A large number of power sector employees and engineers across the country stopped work and held demonstrations on Monday in protest against the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022, according to media reports. Similarly, in erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir, power department employees held a strong protest against the same bill and termed the bill “draconian” for consumers as well as employees.
According to a press release issued to The Chenab Times, the Jammu and Kashmir Power Employees and Engineers coordination committee (JKPEECC), an amalgam of JKEEGA, DEA, EEU, PEEU, Lineman and Workers Union, Draftsman Asso., TEF, and ITI employees, today held a strong protest here in district headquarters while supporting the call of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) for nationwide protest against the introduction of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which will delicense the distribution of power and profitable areas will be taken over by the private companies and monopoly, which they see today in the telecom sector. It will be the same in the power distribution sector also if this Bill becomes an ACT if it passes in Parliament. The Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022 has been listed for tabling today in Parliament. NCCOCEE demands that it not be rushed through and instead be referred to the standing committee on energy of Parliament. He said that the main stakeholders, power consumers and power employees, should be given the opportunity to place their views before placing it in Parliament.
The note further reads, “The central government has not made any effort to discuss the issues with engineers and employees.” The move to de-license power distribution is no way to ensure an efficient and cost-effective electricity supply to the citizens.
The meeting further said that the Electricity Act 2003 allowed the privatisation of generation through delicensing, and now the proposed Bill will pave the path for the privatisation of power distribution through its delicensing. Private power companies will go for cherry picking in supplying electricity to consumers and will prefer to supply electricity to only high revenue-earning industrial and commercial consumers and urban localities, which will push the state discoms to further bankruptcy.”
It continues, “The move to abolish the cross-subsidy in a time-bound manner and propose a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to such consumers by the state governments will snatch away the right of access to electricity for farmers and poor domestic consumers.”
“The government seems more concerned about the profitability of private power companies than protecting consumer interests,” it added.
The committee urged the government of India to send the electricity amendment bill 2022 to the standing committee of Parliament for discussion with all stakeholders, including the power sector employees.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
