Strike of Power employees in UP over privatization bid of govt

Lucknow, March 27: Power employees across Uttar Pradesh struck work on Tuesday to protest against the state government's decision to privatize electricity in Varanasi, Lucknow, Meerut, Gorakhpur and Moradabad.

Unions of the power employees also warned the state government that after this token one-day strike, they will be forced to go for a longer agitation in case there was no immediate roll back on the decision.

The strike called by the Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti saw engineers and employees abstaining from work throughout the day.

A spokesman of the association said that normal work will resume from Wednesday but on April 9, all power men, engineers will go on a three day strike. Protests and demonstrations would be held at all district headquarters and project offices during this three-day protest, it was announced.

Irate power employees accused the state government of playing in the hands of the corporates and of not doing enough to mitigate the problems.

"There have been no recruitment for the last one year and despite the constraints. we have worked hard to ensure hassle-free electricity supply," a spokesman said.