Hydropower company accuses CITU of misleading workers

Jay Pee Hydropower Company, managing Karchham-Wangtoo and Baspa Stage II hydropower projects in tribal Kinnaur district, today accused CITU of exploiting the workers to meet its own political ends and said the firm would come under pressure.
About 1,300 workers of the company are on a strike for about three months to press their demand for increase in salary, regularisation and effective implementation of labour laws under the banner of CITU and some incident of violence has also occurred.
Making it clear that the company could not be blackmailed, Managing Director Suren Jain said the company required only 200 workers during the peak season from May to September and if need arose, workers would be mobilised from other units in different parts of the country.

The strike is "illegal" as power was a public utility service, he said.
"The company is not worried about continuation of the strike as it is in the process of handing over the hydro projects to JSW in next three months," Jain said.
The company alleged that CITU was stopping the workers from returning to work but in spite of its threats 200 workers are back to work.