J&K power employees call off strike as govt commits to some demands

The employees had called a strike to oppose the move by J&K Power Development Department to privatise the power distribution in the Union Territory and also merge the transmission arm JKPTCL with PGCI

After several rounds of negotiations with the government and power blackouts in several regions for the past two days, power departments’ employees in Jammu & Kashmir decided to end their strike on Tuesday. 

In a notice by divisional commissioner Raghav Langer signed by J&K Power Employees and Engineers Coordination Committee (JKPEECC), it was decided that the department will resume normal functioning and the government will work on their demands. 

“It has been decided that the proposed joint venture between J&K Power Transmission Company Ltd (JKPTCL) and Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) shall be put on hold. A committee comprising members of JKPEECC will make recommendations on the way forward,” said the note, which was reviewed by Business Standard. 

The note also mentioned that salaries of employees will be regularised. It said, “The interest of serving employees of JKPDD, JKSPDCL, JKPTCL (the three arms of the power department) shall be protected and shall not be varied to their disadvantages in terms of service benefits.” 

Employees of the three arms had called a strike to oppose the move by J&K Power Development Department to privatise the power distribution in the Union Territory and also merge the transmission arm JKPTCL with PGCIL. 

This led to power cuts in several areas of the UT and delay in servicing, which caused a blackout situation. 

Political leaders have condemned the situation. Omar Abdullah, Vice President, J&K National Conference, tweeted, “Arrived in Jammu where the neighbourhood has had no electricity since yesterday. The same story is repeated across J&K as the power department employees are on strike. The administration seems to have adopted a hands off approach & the people are being left to suffer.” 

Local reports said the Indian Army was stationed over the last two days at power stations to restore electricity. 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last year in her Covid relief package announced that power distribution companies (discoms) of all Union Territories will be privatised. 

The latest amendments to the Electricity Act 2003 seek to abolish power “distribution licence” and allow any company to supply electricity in an area, after regulatory approval. With this, the Centre plans to end the monopoly of existing discoms — mostly state-owned entities — and throw open the market to private discoms.