Uttar Pradesh’s Minister for Energy and Urban Development A K Sharma on Saturday gave a strict warning of disciplinary actions to the employees of the electricity department who are on strike in the state. He asked employees to either return to work by 6:00 PM of face dismissal, reported news agency PTI.
He said the services of 1,332 employees who were on a contractual basis have already been terminated in Uttar Pradesh.
While speaking to the media, he said, “Services of 1,332 contractual employees have been terminated. I once again request all the contractual employees to resume their duties by 6.00 PM, otherwise, they will be dismissed from service tonight,” as quoted by PTI.
The minister said outsourcing companies have already been asked to start the process of hiring new people to fill the positions of already dismissed individuals.
He said, “A list of people who have passed from the ITI, polytechnics and engineering colleges should be prepared to be hired as apprentices. A decision will be taken later (whether to continue their service or not)," reported PTI.
Talking to the media, Sharma said, "A decision has been taken to initiate action against 22 persons from the department under the ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act).”
He added, “Apart from this, instructions have also been issued to lodge FIR against those who are damaging the government property, and obstructing others from discharging duties. FIR has been registered against 29 persons in this regard," as reported by PTI.
Meanwhile, Vidyut Karmacharis Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti convenor Shailendra Dubey stated there are close to 70,000 contractual employees in the Uttar Pradesh state electricity department. He leads a union of electricity department employees.
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Dubey said, as quoted by PTI, “The Obra Thermal Power Plant has come to a standstill. All the five units of 200 megawatts each at Obra Thermal Power Plant have shut down. The (electricity) production of Obra is zero.”
He stated that the protest has led to a massive disruption in electricity supply in some parts of the state.
Cose to 1 lakh employees are taking part in the strike. On Friday, Dubey said employees were forced to go on strike "because of the stubborn attitude" of the top management of energy corporations in the state, reported PTI.
Protesters have been saying that their demands pertaining to “pay anomalies” and outsourcing of operation and maintenance of power substances have not been met by the concerned authorities. Although the government agreed to do so last year, reported PTI.
However, Sharma said all the required efforts are being made to engage in a dialogue with the protestors.
The protesting workers have demanded Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's intervention in the matter put an end to the "atmosphere of confrontation" in the state.