NTPC executives extend support to agitating UP power employees

National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Executives’ Federation of India (NEFI) today extended support to the power employees of Uttar Pradesh, who are demanding a revision of pay scale and arrears on the basis of the Sixth Pay Commission report.

The 45,000-odd state power workers have been boycotting work since January 2. Power transmission in the state has been exempt from the boycott.

The boycott will continue till January 8 after which employees have threatened a tougher stance, including an indefinite strike, if the state government did not accept their demands.

As a back-up plan, the state government may deploy power engineers from other power utilities, such as NTPC, to man the power units.

Against this backdrop, NEFI has written a letter to the top NTPC management in New Delhi expressing concern at possible mass deputation of its executives to man UP power plants in a crisis.

“We support the demands made by UP power workers and engineers, which are fully justified,” NEFI secretary general VK Sharma told Business Standard.

Besides, the Federation fears that in the event of any such deployment, its executives may have to work in hostile conditions.

Sharma said NEFI has about 2,000 executives working at four major NTPC stations in the northern region, including in Unchachar, Tanda, Singrauli and Rihand.

Meanwhile, Power Employees Joint Action Committee spokesperson Shailendra Dubey claimed the state government was resorting to unconstitutional methods to quell their agitation.

He said that to resolve the issue, the Committee was willing to hold a dialogue with UP Power Corporation Ltd, which claims to be a facing financial crisis.

Dubey said the state government had retracted its promise of the pay revision, which would entail a non-recurring financial burden of Rs 1,600 crore for the arrears of last three years and a minuscule rise in salaries per month.