Power Staff Threatens Stir Against New Bill

Engineers and employees of the entire electric power supply industry of India have vowed to launch an indefinite strike if the controversial draft Electricity Bill, 2000, is not scrapped immediately.

The decision was taken last week at Jaipur, at a convention of the engineers and employees of various State Electricity Boards. Different trade unions were represented at the convention.

The convention drew up a country-wide agitation programme. There will be rallies at state capitals in June followed by a one-day strike in July. The power industry would go for an indefinite strike `if the warning demonstration strike is not taken seriously' by the government, warned the organisers.

 

Calling the new Electricity Bill as a piece of `redundant legislation', the convention felt that `the real intention is extraneous to the problems of the power industry. The Government of India is rewriting the entire legislation at the behest of foreign investors.

The operating philosophy of the legislation is the principle that sovereignty of a state is a hindrance to private investment'.

The convention passed a 6-point resolution to restructure the existing power industry, and not a sell-out:

1. The SEBs should be financially restructured with loans converted into equity for greater financial viability.

2. A core grant, similar to what has been done for the banking industry, should be created to enable states implement financial restructuring.

3. The SEBs should be allowed by the state governments to run on commercial lines and allow them obtain the reasonable return on investments. Tariff should be restructured while protecting the under-privileged.

4. Any private investment in power should be limited by the maximum tariff determined.

5. All subsidies in tariff must be borne by the Centre and state governments in stead of the SEBs.

6. Effective demand side management in areas of domestic and farm power should be planned with special emphasis on minimising theft and loss of energy.

The convention sharply criticised the government plans to sell shares of the National Thermal Power Corporation and PGCL.

The draft Electricity Bill , the convention alleged, aimed at controlling the tariff of public-funded institutions only. The tariffs of private sector power plants will be dictated by power purchase agreements, to be outside the purview of regulators.

The convention severely criticised the minister for power, P R Kumarmangalam accusing him of `pushing the agenda of the World Bank and the multinationals'.

This, the convention said, `provides legitimacy to our questioning his integrity and motivation'.