Employees of the Puducherry Electricity Department have decided to call off their ongoing agitation against the Centre’s decision to privatise power distribution in the Union Territory.
The unions took the decision to withdraw the agitation after Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy held talks with the striking employees at his chamber on Tuesday evening. The Chief Minister intervened after official-level talks failed to yield any breakthrough.
The Chief Minister’s Office said the government had assured the workers of arranging a meeting with the Union Power Minister. After the workers demanded putting on hold the privatisation process till the delegation met the Union Power Minister, the Chief Minister also agreed to write to the Chief Secretary to not proceed with the move for the time being.
The government also brought to the knowledge of the workers, the government’s intent not to privatise the power distribution network by adopting a legislation urging the Centre to withdraw the decision, said an employee.
“We will re-start the agitation if the Centre goes ahead with the plan to privatise the department. It will not be in the interest of the UT and workers. The move is only to support some corporates,” he charged.
