Engineers, workers strike works against Centre's Electricity Bill

Kothagudem: Electricity engineers and workers across erstwhile Khammam district boycotted work and staged dharnas in protest against the Electricity (Amendment) Bill-2022, which the BJP government at the Centre proposed to introduce in Parliament.

The protests were staged in response to a call given by Telangana State Power Employees Joint Action Committee (TSPEJAC) and All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) that opposed the proposed bill.

At Kothagudem Thermal Power Station (KTPS) complex in Paloncha, a large number of engineers, workers and artisans staged a day-long 'Maha Dharna' demanding the Centre to withdraw its decision to introduce the bill.

Mangilal and Brahmmaji of Engineers Association, Telangana Rashtra Vidyut Karmika Sangham (TRVKS) leaders Rambabu Thota, Mutyala Koteswar Rao, M Ramesh and Rambabu N, 1104 Union leaders T Rajendar and K Koteswar Rao, INTUC 327D Union leader MA. Majeed, union leaders Radha Krishna and P Ramu others addressed the gathering.

The leaders complained that the bill proposed by the Centre would be detrimental to government power distribution companies as well as consumers. The BJP government at the Centre is trying to favour the private companies with the bill, at the cost of government discoms.

The bill would allow licenses to more than one distribution company in the same area. The private distribution companies would supply electricity using the public sector network by paying only wheeling charges and it would make government discoms suffer financially, they explained

TPCC member A Krishna took part in the dharna extending solidarity to the electricity employees protest. He said the Centre is introducing the bill in violation of parliamentary practices. Electricity was in the concurrent list of the constitution, but the Centre has not sought suggestions from any State in the country regarding the bill.