86,000 power company staffers to strike today against Adani expansion in Maharashtra

MUMBAI: More than 86,000 employees from state energy companies - MSEDCL, Mahagenco and Mahatransco - and 40,000 other contractual workers will go on a 72-hour strike from Wednesday to oppose entry of private player, Adani Transmission Ltd, in power distribution business in other parts of Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The strike may impact over 2.8 crore electricity consumers across Maharashtra.

The state has issued a notification stating that it "has decided to invoke provisions of Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) against striking staffers". Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has called for a meeting of union leaders on Wednesday afternoon to "resolve the issue".
The unions are opposed to Adani Transmission seeking licence from Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) to supply power in new areas such as Mulund, Bhandup, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Panvel.
These areas are currently served by the state power utility firm for several years, and there is fear of "privatisation", said Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) Workers Federation president Mohan Sharma, who is spearheading the stir. "We have four basic demands - opposing entry of Adani Transmission in other parts of MMR (Adani caters to 31 lakh consumers in Mumbai suburbs), demanding that 40,000 contractual staff be regularised through a special recruitment scheme, opposing privatisation of hydro and thermal power plants, and stopping privatisation in laying transmission lines and setting up new sub-stations," Sharma said.
Mumbai Grahak Panchayat has demanded that the state apply MESMA on protesters with immediate effect as lakhs of consumers will be put to hardship. Shirish Deshpande from MGP said, "They can't hold consumers to ransom. If they want to protest, they can do it at a proper forum, such as MERC hearings."
MSEB holding company director Vishwas Pathak said, "It is not the government which is granting parallel distribution licence to Adani Transmission, but the MERC, which will take a final call. So it is not justified to hold the state responsible. Besides, Electricity Act 2003, empowers MERC to grant a licence to two or more discoms within the same area of supply. Similar parallel distribution licence already exists in Mumbai where Adani Electricity, BEST, and Tata Power compete to supply power."
MSEDCL chief spokesperson Anil Kamble told TOI that there was a "back up plan" - with an empanelled agency to provide manpower to replace ground-level workers on strike, retaining workers on contract who don't participate in strike, calling back retired MSEDCL staffers and seeking support of electrical staff from other departments, such as PWD. Those who face any inconvenience can call toll free helpline 1800-212-3435/1800-233-3435/1912/19120, he added.