Talks between govt, agitating powermen end on positive note

Talks between agitating powermen and the government today ended on a "positive note" though no formal announcement of calling off the strike was made.
"Except for two demands of judicial inquiry into police lathicharge on protestors and removal of Managing Director of North and South Bihar Power Distribution Company, we reached agreement on all other issues," Power Minister Bijendra Yadav told PTI after talks with protesting powermen representatives.
He said the two demands they were insisting on would be conveyed to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Powermen representatives who participated in the talks expressed satisfaction over the talks.
"Results of the talks are positive. The minister agreed to redress problems of workers," Devki Rai, General Secretary of Bihar State Technical Staff Union said.

He said a meeting is scheduled again on Wednesday.

Members of 17 unions of the Bihar State Power Board which has now been divided into various companies were agitating on service related matters. They intensified their protest after a police lathicharge on agitators on Friday last after a ding dong battle between powermen and policemen on busy Bailey Road.
Infuriated over the lathicharge, the powermen snapped electricity supply of the entire Patna on Friday night and on next day switched off power supply at a venue of function of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The powermen have threatened that if their problems are not resolved they will resort to indefinite strike from September 25.