Srinagar :
The protest-cum-rally was organised by J&K Central Non Gazetted Electrical Employees Union (JKCNGEEU). As part of its ongoing protest demonstrations against privatization of PDD, release of long pending salaries of daily wagers and regularization of their services. A large number of employees and workers on Wednesday took out a protest rally at PDD complex Bemina.
The protesters are demanding release of their pending wages and regularization of their services.The protest-cum-rally was organised by J&K Central Non Gazetted Electrical Employees Union.
The protesters show their annoyance against the callous attitude of the government towards the workers. Protesters said sufferings of the workers who are unable to look after the future of their family members sans salaries from the concerned department.
“Every time the workers agitate in favor of their rights, But Authorities only give assurances.
The employees are against the wrong policy of the Government to unbundle and privatize the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (JKPDD) into Companies.
Through privatization of the power sector, the water resources of the State would be exploited further. “Already our water resources have been exploited since many years. But now with this step the power generated from the State will be supplied to other States while Kashmir will be left to the mercy of God,” Employees and workers with their allegiance have built infrastructure of the department and electrified the state to nearly 100 percent. “Despite of giving incentives to employees, the Govt. has decided to destroy the career of the employees and economy of the state by adopting such policies, the said move will render scores of youth unemployed. “The PDD employs a lot of Valley youth and now there will be no surety that any private firm will keep intact their services. It will render lot of youth unemployed and people from outside will be preferred for various posts,
We will involve common people to pressure on the Government against such move.
Protesting employees warned that in case Government won’t respect their genuine demand, they would come out on roads to stage protests and enforce boycott in departments that will throw whole State into darkness.The privatization would increase the power tariff by a huge margin leaving the electricity bills beyond the paying capacity of locals.
“Government should take into notice the income of majority of the population before going ahead with the privatization,” “People at present pay the current tariff with difficulty, and it will be a huge burden on people to pay additional fee. About Rs 4000 crore has to be spend by the state from different coffers to meet the power expenditure demand in addition to the power tariff it collect from people.
“dis empowering people of the Kashmir, and not for their benefit”.
“We are Kashmiri who has to live here. Our income is not enough to pay the exorbitant bills. What state goes through to maintain balance between power purchase expenditure and revenue generation gap is their issue. What about ours who do not have the power to pay? We won’t allow privatization at any cost,” “Let us also make it very clear that dont give us a chance where we are going to snap the power supply in the state”.
