Jharkhand electricity board workers call off strike

The JSEB unions had called a strike Wednesday after the state government inked an memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tata Power and Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) to hand over the billing and distribution of power in Ranchi and Jamshedpur to them. The unions had gone on strike saying they were not taken into confidence before inking the MoU.

The strike had plunged the state into darkness. Many parts of the state, including capital Ranchi, remained without power for more than 24 hours. This led the Jharkhand High Court Thursday to take suo motu cognizance of the strike.

"The High Court took exception of the strike and asked the unions to end the strike," said Vimal Kriti Singh, power secretary.

"We have decided to end the strike in light of High Court observations. Our motive is not to create trouble to people of the state," said Prasant Chaturvedi, a union leader.