Metre reading workers join power staff agitation

Visakhapatnam: With the joining of 4,200 metre reading workers into the ongoing electricity contract workers stir, the strike has been intensified further. Now as many as 34,000 contract workers are participating in the strike, demanding regularisation of their services as per the assurance given during 2014 general elections by the Telugu Desam Party.

The Andhra Pradesh Electricity Contract Employees United Forum (APECEUF) observing the strike for the past two weeks. However, as there is no response from the government, the power metre reading workers also joined the strike.

President of  Metre Readers Union (EPDCL ) KSD Santosh Kumar said that 4,200 metre readers working in the state and 1,600 metre readers were working in five districts under EPDCL, including 370 workers  working in Visakhapatnam under the EPDCL. A metre reader is getting Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,000 per month.

In Visakhapatnam district, there are 7,50,000 connections in which 370 metre readers working under three zones for 16 days officially in two phases. After meter reading work, the workers, are being engaged to assist the linemen (permanent staff) for metre changing and other related works.

The contract workers rendered excellent services after the Hudhud cyclone to restore the power and the Chief Minister praised their services. A contract worker, who is having 10 years experience, is not even drawing Rs 9,000 per month, Santhosh Kumar said.