Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 9

The Empowered Committee on privatisation of the UT Electricity Department has given its approval to the highest bid quoted by Kolkata-based Eminent Electricity Distribution Limited.

UT Adviser Dharam Pal said the report of the committee would now be submitted to UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore for approval.

After getting a nod from the Administrator, the report would be sent to the Ministry of Power for further action. However, the final call on the issue would be taken by the Union Cabinet.

Eminent Electricity Distribution Limited – a subsidiary of CESC Limited, which is a flagship company of RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group – had submitted the highest bid of Rs871 crore. The amount is five times the reserve price of nearly Rs174 crore. The financial bids were opened on August 4.

On November 9, 2020, the UT Engineering Department had invited bids for privatisation of the Electricity Department and seven companies – Sterlite Power, ReNew Wing Energy, NESCL (NTPC), Adani Transmission Ltd, Tata Power, Torrent Power and Eminent Electricity Power Company – had submitted their bids.

Meanwhile, the UT Powermen Union has given a call for one-day strike on Tuesday to protest the UT Administration’s decision to privatise the Electricity Department.

The UT Administration though warned that the government employees participating in the strike would be liable to disciplinary action.

“The Chandigarh Administration has always been sympathetic to the genuine demands of the electricity employees and there is no cause for any strike by the employees,” stated the Administration.

“The principle of ‘no work, no pay’ shall be strictly enforced. The employees are, therefore, advised to attend duty. The defaulting employees will also be liable for other disciplinary action,” the Administration added.

Necessary arrangements for maintaining the continuity of power supply has been made, but chances of failure of power supply due to any untoward incident cannot be ruled out.

The authorities requested the public in general to contact complaint centre in their area for any electricity related complaint. Besides, they can also contact the control room.

The public is also requested to keep a vigil on the electricity lines and in case they find anyone indulging in sabotage, they may inform the police control room and contact following numbers: 0172-2703242 (control room Sector 17), 0172-2740475 (control room Sector 9) and 0172-4639999 (citizen facilitation centre), the Administration added.