3-day hostage crisis of power utility employees ends

The 3-day-long hostage crisis of employees of the Bharatiya Rail Bijlee Company Ltd (BRBCL) and their family members ended Tuesday evening in Bihar's Aurangabad, officials said.

The impasse was resolved during a meeting where it was decided that the BRBCL would supply power to the villages till the South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd (SBPDCL) provides electricity connection to the villages.

Representatives of Aurangabad district administration, BRBCL and the villagers who held around 150 of its employees and their family members hostage demanding restoration of power in their villages, attended the meeting.

The 1,000-mw power plant located in Aurangabad is a joint venture between the NTPC and the railways.

 

"The deadlock has been resolved," Aurangabad District Magistrate Rahul Ranjan Mahiwal told PTI but refused to elaborate on the issue.

When contacted, Nabinagar Circle Officer Rakesh Kumar said, "An agreement has been reached between the villagers and the BRBCL management under which power supply to the villagers will be restored and they will continue the power till South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd (SBPDCL) provides power connection to the villagers."

Besides Kumar, Nabinagar BDO, Khaira police station SHO, BRBCL officials and 11 villagers attended the meeting.

"The BRBCL management has taken the decision on a humanitarian ground. The issue will be permanently settled with the help of local administration in a time-bound manner," Vishwanath Chandan, NTPC manager (public relations) told PTI.

The decision has been taken keeping in mind the larger interest of everyone -- BRBCL employees and their families and people of Surar and neighbouring villages, he said.

"The electricity generated by the BRBCL is supplied to the railways and the Bihar government. Transmission and distribution of the generated power is not in our domain and we cannot supply power to any other entity," Chandan had said Monday.

Around 150 employees of BRBCL and their family members were held hostage in their own township since Sunday evening demanding illegal electricity supply to their villages.

A senior NTPC official, wishing anonymity, said the BRBCL was under pressure to supply power to the villages and the SBPDCL assured the BRBCL that the former would settle the issue permanently in a month on a priority basis.

On Monday, the BRBCL management lodged an FIR stating the villagers pelted stones, burnt tyres at the main gate of the BRBCL township and cut supplies of essential commodities such as milk, vegetables and medicines by not allowing anyone either to enter or exit the township.

BRBCL sources have alleged that the villagers used to pilfer electricity generated by the utility from underground cables for over seven years, but it was snapped three days ago following a short circuit.