VOICE
OF ELECTRICITY WORKERS
Oct-Dec 2001
Vol 2 No.4 Index
REPORT ON STATES
BIHAR:
The Bihar Government has decided to unbundle Bihar State
Electricity Board (BSEB) by December 2001 into three “profit
centers” for power generation, transmission and distribution.
Independent State Electricity commission will also be constituted to
finalise the power tariffs. Cabinet also decided to sign a MoU with
the Centre on power reforms.
The Electricity Employees and Engineers from 17 organisations
existing in the BSEB had coordinated and jointly held a massive
rally on 24th September 2001 at Patna before SEB headquarters
against the MoU and proposed unbundling of BSEB and declared an
indefinite strike w.e.f 30th October, 2001. The rally was addressed
by NCCOEEE leaders: E. Balanandan, Shailendra Dubey, Chakradhar P.
Singh and B.S. Meel.
TAMIL NADU: ACTIVITIES OF WORKING
WOMEN IN TAMIL NADU
S.S. SUBRAMANIAN
As per the decision of State Conference of the Working Women of
TNEB, to constitute, one committee in every District level, the
coordination committee of COTEE conducted a meeting of working women
engaged in Electricity Board – Coimbatore on 7.6.2001. In the
meeting more than 20 Electricity Board women employees participated
when Com. Mallika State convenor presided over the meeting. They
discussed not only current issues related to national level and TNEB
level and decided to have close contact with CITU State
Co-ordination Committee of Working Women and AIDWA for all the
general movement of women and common people. They have elected five
members local committee consisting of A. Anandhi (Convenor). M.
Banumathy, M.Bharathi, Kannammal. A.G. Vasanthi Treasurer and
incharge of Working Women of COTEE Com. S.S. Subramanian and
convenor Mallika spoke in the meeting.
The Office-bearers of COTEE at Coimbatore Comrades N. Chinnasamy,
T.S. Subbaiyan and Rajendren organised this meetings.
TAMIL NADU: ENRON QUIT INDIA DAY
D. JANAKIRAMAN
As per the decision of the National Co-ordination Committee
Electricity Employees and Engineers “Enron Quit India Day” was
observed on 26th June throughout India. In Tamil Nadu, on that day a
protest meeting was held at Hotel Anand Bhaven, Anna Salai, a centre
of Chennai City.
In the meeting it was stressed that the Dhabol Power Project
owned by a U.S. Company Called Enron with its 2184 M.W capacity of
power generation enable to start looting the money from MSEB as well
as Maharashtra State Govt. by a notorious agreement forced to enter
into. This is not now limiting to Maharashtra State, buth through
Central Government, all other states and SEBs. Beside Orissa, Enron
is of shoot of restructuring the SEBs with a view to fully privatize
the entire power generation and distribution throughout India.
Therefore, the NCCOEEE met at New Delhi on 4th June and called 10
lakhs of powermen to raise with one voice against Enron “ENRON QUIT
INDIA DAY” movement on 26th June.
As far in Tamilnadu all the unions joined to-gether in a meeting
held at Hotel Anand Bhaven, Anna Salai, a centre of Chennai City
under the Chairmanship D. Janakiraman, Predisent Central
Organisation of Tamilnadu Electricity Employees, after starting the
meeting by S.S. Subramanian,a nd welcomed by Chandra Sekaran. The
other leaders of the union S.C. Krishnana, General Secretary of
T.N.E. workers Federation. S.V. Angappan, General Secretary Accounts
and Executive Staff Unions, V. Ashok Kumar, General Secretary of
Engineers Sangam. N.C. Kadhirvelu. General Secretary of AIADMK
union, Salamon, NLO General Secretary and T. Ganesan, Assessment
Staff union while finally thanks giving done by S. Appanu.
This meeting also reiterating the opposition of privatisation of
SEBs and Electricity Bill 2001 and called on the workers to make the
24th June rally before Delhi Parliament very successfully and
prepare for a direct actions throughout India unitedly.
ASSAM, ORISSA & CHHATTISGARH Resent Results of Reforms
The Assam, Orissa and Chhatisgarh governments have expressed
dissatisfaction at the results of the Centre’s reforms process,
particularly in the power sector, while alleging its negligence
towards the eastern and north-eastern region.
Assam finance minister D. Konwar said that both the power sector
reforms and rural electrification programme have “failed” to yield
desired results due to the Centre’s “faulty” policies.
While transmission and distribution losses have reminded as high
as ever, the rural electrification figures are highly overestimated.
“I have asked the Union power minister to revise their formula to
get the ground realities, “ Konwar said.
The Assam minister also alleged the Centre’s negligence towards
the region saying that the financial packages announced by the
successive Union governments remain only on paper and “the states
did not receive any assistance under such packages.”
Speaking at the Fintech, 2001 exhibition-cum-conference, organised
by Confederation of Indian Industries (eastern region), Orissa
finance minister R.K. Patnaik said that his government is not
satisfied at the results of power sector reforms.
The transmission and distribution losses have declined only by two
per cent from a high 45 per cent.
The reforms have also failed to attract significant private
investment in the sector, he added. He criticized the disinvestments
policy of the Centre saying it is “no answer” to the sickness of the
units.
Chhatisgarh finance minister R.C Singh Deo said that the high debt
burden of both the Centre and the state governments is a cause of
concern for the economy.
Moreover, the total government debt of over Rs 700,000 crore is
not properly used for productive purposes, he said.
On the state’s economic prospects, he said, the Chattisgarh
government is preparing a vision document to chalk out ways for fast
growth and development.
“We are looking at large investment in the infrastructure sector”.
Speaking on the occasion, CII (eastern region) chairman Harsh
Neotia said the persistently low economic growth and low growth in
large industries have resulted in the disquieting developments in
financial sector in recent year.”
Courtesy: Business Standard
ORISSA:
VICTORY OF THE ELECTRICITY EMPLOYEES AND ENGINEERS
AGAINST MISMANAGEMENT OF FOREIGN MONOPOLY – IN ORISSA POWER SECTOR
S.K.M. PATRO
A united action committee consisting of Electricity Workers,
Employees and Engineers had staged a struggle programme including
Dharna and Demonstrations before the CESCO Head Office and different
Division Offices such as Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Khurda,
Anandapur, Dhankanal from 14.08.2001 to 26.08.2001. The demands
raised by the action committee are as follows:
1. AES to withdraw from CESCO management.
2. Enquiry about the misappropriation of funds by CESCO overriding
Escrow Account.
3. To remove the corrupt employees appointed by CESCO as Team
Leaders.
4. To immediately deposit the Employees Contributions made towards
E.P.F, C.P.F & L.T.C, etc.
5. To regulate the service conditions and immediate release of the
7/2001 salary etc.
Consequent upon continued struggled, the Govt. has approached the
members of the O.E.R.C and the Regulatory Commission has removed.
AES from the CESCO management immediately released the July salary
and appointed an I.A.S Officer Sri Suresh Mahapatra as Managing
Director of CESCO.
This is a very big victory and it has created a great amount of
jubiliation among the Employees and Engineers. Despite this there is
no amount of complacency and the Committee has decided to continue
the movement till the goal is achieved. The a fore said movement was
led by Sarbasri P.C.C Chau Patnaik, Prahallad Pradhan, J.K. Ray,
Bharmarber Rauto, R.C Satapathy, Er. K.C. Sahu, Basu Malik, Pitambar
Das, Dibakar Sahu, L.R. Mishra, Govinda Patnaik and others.
Unfortunately in the whole movement INTUC was totally absent.
RAJASTHAN AMBIGUOUS POWER POLICY TO BLAME
Several government departments in Rajasthan have refused to avail
World Bank loans for development purposes in the absence of a clear
policy for power sector reforms.
The sudden change in prescription came in the wake of public
criticism. Consumers are being forced to pay high electricity
tariff, being levied by three distribution companies.
As the power sector reforms enters the second year, doubts are
being expressed whether the reforms are moving as desired by the
World Bank. The latest decision of AES to stop purchase of power
from Gridco in Orissa has added an element of uncertainty over the
bank’s role in funding the programmes in the state. The World Bank’s
track record in Orissa and Haryana is, therefore, being scrutinized
by the government. The Bank has offered $180 million for Rajasthan
power sector reforms with the first installment of Rs 80 crore
having being released in the current fiscal.
The rest of the loan would be disbursed in three more installments
following the implementation of the several conditions agreed upon
by the state government while negotiating the loan.
The most daunting task before the companies is to go in for
privatisation as laid down in the reform package. There is hardly
any possibility of the distribution companies being privatized in
the next year.
Even in the case of international bidding, it takes nearly a year
to complete the process which has not started as yet. Moreover, in
the last year of existence, the three distribution companies in
Jaipur, Ajmer and Jodhpur could not present a balance sheet which
could attract any buyer.
Even the REC has refused to provide loan to the distribution
companies due to its poor balance sheet.
In such a situation, it would be difficult task for the government
to go in for disinvestments as planned at the time of reforms.
The government option in such case now narrows down to the
disinvestments of the generation company which has been able to add
to its input in the last couple of years.
Courtesy: The Economic Times
UTTAR PRADESH
SECOND ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF U.P BIJLEE BOARD EMPLOYEES
UNION
K.K. CHATTURVEDI
18 October 2001
The U.P. Bijlee Board Employees Union will hold its second Annual
Conference at Kanpur w.e.f 21st to 23rd December 2001. A seminar on
“New power policy and its adverse impacts” will be held in which
power experts, experienced engineers and representative of fraternal
trade union organisations will be participating. The Energy
Minister’s from various states have been invited particularily from
West Bengal and Tripura. Reforms in U.P are heading towards the
footsteps of Orissa power sector. The reform model in U.P has been
copied and replicated without ascertaining its appropriateness or
efficacy in local conditions.
The recent decision of BJP government in U.P banning strike for
six months in state power utilities has been condemned by Com.
Daulat Ram and Bhagwan Misra, President and General Secretary. This
step of the BJP government has been termed by them as anti-working
class and an attack on the trade union movement as well as on the
rights of the employees. Both the leaders stated that instead of
acting with such as a haste and zeal to curb the rights of the
employees, it would have been appropriate had the government shown
the courage to implement the agreement entered with the trade union
organisations on 25th January 2000 when UPSEB was restructured. They
have appealed all the trade unions and their following to organize
protest activities against this undemocratic and bureaucratic step.
They also warned the U.P government that it should withdraw this
undemocratic and anti-employees step failing which the employees
working in power sector in U.P will be forced to launch a state-wide
agitation.
POWER REFORMS FALTER IN UP
According to the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission
(UPERC), the power sector has deteriorated after the much hyped
reforms.
The reason: “The old system had numerous faults, but these have
been disrupted without any improved practices being put in place.”
As the regulator, UPERC syas, it can, at best, provide incentives,
but cannot do much if the main players continue to be indifferent.
“The restructuring in the power sector has been only in a formal
sense – there has been no inherent change in old operating practices
and relationships between different stakeholders,” the regulator
said.
The UP Power Corporation limited (UPPCL), the transmission and
distribution (T & D) company, is a case in point. The corporation
has turned in a much worse performance than it had committed.
The commission had accepted a target of 36.5 per cent for
technical, commercial and T & D losses. But the actual losses for
the financial year 2000-01 stood at 41.4 per cent inclusive of
Kesco’s without which the target would be 34.97 per cent and actuals
39.4 per cent.
For the current financial year, the target set is 36.4 per cent
(sans Kesco), which is a three per cent improvement from the earlier
results. UPERC has warned that this target would be a tough one if
past inaction was not rectified.
A greater let-down has been collection efficiency, which was
targeted to improve to 86.23 per cent from 81.23 per cent in
1999-00. This has gone down to 78.25 per cent.
UPPCL has been further burdened due to the failure of the
government to compensate pensionary and retirement benefit pay-outs,
pertaining to liabilities up to January 24, 2000, when the UPSEB was
unbundled. This has led to drainage in the financial resources of
the corporation, it observed.
The end result has been that the UPPCL purchased 42,063 mw of
power, of which 25,494 mw were sold. The actual revenue collected
was Rs 5,224.60 crore, which corresponds to a supply of 20,094 mw.
This means that the T & D losses and lack of collection efficiency
together come to 52.2 per cent of the power purchased.
The regulator has squarely put the blame on the state government.
Courtesy: Business Standard
WEST BENGAL
CONVENTION OF W.B. ELECTRICITY EMPLOYEES & ENGINEERS
11 SEPTEMBER 2001: SHRAMIK BHAWAN: KOLKOTA
The W.B. ELECTRICITY EMPLOYEES AND ENGINEERS held a convention on
11th September 2001 at Sramik Bhawan, Kolkota. Com. B.S. Meel, G.S,
EEFI, delivered a key note address and the following resolution was
adopted:
1.This convention is against anti-people New Economic Policy of
Government of India, and as a part of it, against its New
Electricity Policy.
2.This convention demands that the Govt. of India recognize the
opposition to the reform and reverse the direction of Economic
Policies to pro-people policies.
3. The Economic and Electricity policies lead to high cost power
which would damage national capability in all sectors particularly
industry and agriculture.
Power policies are:
a) Unbundling of State Electricity Boards for privatisation;
b) Privatisation of transmission and distribution;
c) Permitting high cost independent power plants like ENRON etc.
d) Privatisation and disinvestments of Central Public Sector
Undertakings in the Power sector and electrical capital goods
sector.
The above should be stopped.
This convention demands –
a) Restoring the State Electricity Boards where they have been
unbundled for privatisation.
b) Increasing State funding of power to ensure 7 % to 9% rate of
growth of the power sector.
c) Permitting high cost independent power plants like ENRON etc.
d) Privatisation and isinvestments of Central Public Sector
Undertakings in the power sector and electrical capital goods
sector.
The above should be stopped.
This convention demands-
a) Restoring the State Electricity Boards where they have been
unbundled for privatisation.
b) Increasing State funding of power to ensure 7% to 9% rate of
growth of the power sector.
4. This convention demand that the Govt of India withdraw the
Electricity Bill – 2001, already placed in the monsoon session, in
the next parliament session. And Govt. of India should continue to
fund electricity sector in the states as has been done in last five
decades since independence.
5.Power Purchase Agreement was signed between Maharshtra State
Electricity Board and ENRON’s Dabhol Power Company with the help of
misleading report, false promise, blatent corruption and under the
unethical political influence.This convention strongly demands the
Power Purchase Agreement between Maharshtra State Electricity Board
and ENRON’s Dabhol Power Company be scrapped.
6.This Convention demands that the Government discuss with the
National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and
Engineers.
7.This convention expresses satisfaction to note that All Central
Trade Unions namely INTUC, BMS, CITU, AITUC, HMS, UTUC, TUCC etc.
and almost all independent federations joined together and announce
programme of agitation to fight against New Economic
Policy. Demands of agitation are:-
a) Against thoughtless privatisation of the profit making and
potentially viable PSUs including strategic Defence Sector
Indistries.
b) Against the move to change the Labour Laws in favour of
employers.
c) Against withdrawal of quantitative restriction on imports as
per WTO conditionalities.
d) Against the policies leading to joblessness and unemployment.
e) For immediate enactment of a comprehensive legislation for
agricultural workers.
9. As a part of above agitation, a demonstration before the
Parliament was conducted on 24th July 2001. The convention is aware
of the fact that the Central Trade Unions are going to take decision
on proposed Nationwide strike in near future.
9.This Convention urge upon the electricity employees and
engineers of West Bengal to get associated with and support the
strike in the form of tool-down and pen-down strike.
10.The left Front Govt. of West Bengal after discussing with wider
spectrum of workers-employees-engineers-officers and reaching
unanimity, has followed an alternative path to anti-people national
policy, and made commendable advancement towards solution of the
power problems, and the Convention is happy to see that the Left
Front Govt is committed to solve the rest of the problems in a
democratic way.
11.In case the Govt of India fails to take note of the resolution
of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and
Engineers, adopted in the All India Convention of Electricity
Employees and Engineers on 7th July 2001 at New Delhi, WB part of
NCCOEEE will launch a campaign which would finally end up in a total
strike.
WEST BENGAL TO DOUBLE POWER CAPCITY BY 2010
The West Bengal government hopes to double the power generation
capacity to about 9,000 mw by 2010 if the ongoing projects are
completed by schedule.
The additional 4,526 mw, sources say, would mainly be contributed
by the West Bengal State Electricity Board (WBSEB), the National
Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) and the Tala hydel Power Scheme
(THPS) project of Bhutan government. West Bengal is already a power
surplus state.
According to the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation
data, additional capacity would raise surplus energy availability to
3,177 million units by 2005-06 against the current surplus of 2,674
million units.
The state would also have a surplus during peak demand once the
projects are commissioned. Currently, a deficit of about 56 million
units is experienced during peak demand, mainly due to distribution
problems, the state power ministry sources say.
Among the additional capacity, 1,596 mw would come from Purulia
Pump Storgae Project (PPSP)(225x4 mw), Ramman Stage I and II
projects (90 mw) and Turga Pump storage Project (150 x 4 mw), all of
which are scheduled to be completed by 2010.
NHPC projects would add another 1,200 mw to total generation,
scheduled to be completed by 2005-06.
The current installed capacity in the state is 4,506 mw (excluding
the Damodar Valley Corporation and Doshergarh Power Supply
Corporation) and the effective capacity 4,374 mw. The 210 mw
Bakreswar V unit of the state power development corporation is also
expected to be completed soon.
The RPG group company CESC Ltd is expected to complete its 250 x 2
mw Balagarh project being implemented by its subsidiary company
Balagarh Power Company Ltd, by 2003-04.
The company, however, is facing problems following its recent
stand-off withn WBSEB on non-payment of outstanding dues and current
bills. CESC, which draws 250 to 300 mw from the state power board,
could face further problems with the state government planning to
launch a probe into its financial status.
Courtesy: Business Standard
MADHYA PRADESH GOES FOR POWER CUTS AS CRISIS WORSENS
The crisis-ridden Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board (MPSEB)
has once again decided to reduce power supply to the various parts
of the state.
In a proposal submitted by S.K. Dasgupta, chairman of MPSEB, to
the state government, it has been decided to slash power supply by 4
hours for industries and district headquarters, 5 hours for tehsil
headquarters and 3 hours for commissionary cities.
“This would help government ensure six-hour power supply during
the Kharif season,” said the proposal.
The State is producing only 3,400 mw of power which includes 1,700
mw from thermal power units, 400 mw from hydro power units and 1330
mw from the Central government;s power production units.”
The state has a demand of 5000 mw.
The power scenario in the State is more grim than what data shows.
Power production in the state has never exceeded 3250 mw against a
demand of 5600 mw during peak hours a reciepe sure to plunge the
state in darkness.
The State government has received a strong protest against he
decision from the various sections of the society including
industrial houses, member of oppositions and other sections of the
political field. The State Power Regulatory Commission Chairman
Justice S. Dwivedi said, “the commission had granted the permission
to government on the condition if it implement the power cut
schedule in an impartial manner. If it will not happen there will be
a penalty for it.”
Courtesy: Business Standard
KERALA “SATYAGRAHA BY ELECTRICTY OFFICERS” VIS-À-VIS BAN
IMPOSED BY GOVERNMENT
K.R. UNNITHAN
UDF government is pursuing the very same policy of the BJP
government in the Centre.
In the ‘White Paper’ published by the Government, it is made clear
that KSE Board will be unbundled and a pilot project will be
launched to encourage Private Sector Particiapation in Distribution.
In the Assembly, answering to a question, the Minister for
Electricity Sri. Kadavoor Sivadasan made it clear that the whole
ministry is for unbundling the Electricity Board, as suggested by
the Centre. He also informed the House that SERC will be formed
shortly. In the approach paper presented by the Hon’ble chief
minister of Kerala, it is very clearly mentioned as follows:-
On August 20the Government of Kerala has signed an MoU with
Government of India in
line with the above policies. Obviously it is the death knell of
the Kerala State Electricity Board.
The KSEB Officers’ Association has printed posters in thousands
proclaiming this and observed
a Black Day on 23rd August. As this was an out break of the
thoughts and aspirations of the
employees, the day observation was a great success.
The minister for electricity unleashed slanderous propoganda
against employees stating
that what he is implementing is only what is decided in the “Power
Policy” of LDF Government
and similar to what is being carried out at West Bengal. He even
come down to the extend of
arranging a mass meeting of employees officially to plead his
case. As he used to do in the Sub
Courts and Municiff’s Courts, he tried to argue before the
gathering, interpreting certain clauses
of MoU that he is not going to unbundle KSE Board. But regarding
privatisation he cleverly
explained that it is the people to decide whether KSE Board is to
be privatized or not.
As the Government was loosing the ‘power logic’ drastically, the
Minister used to resort
to ‘Logic of Power’ with him. Violating the esisting written
norms, he started transferring all-
important activist of Officers’ Association, through out the
length and breadth of Kerala.
Numbers of cases were filed in the High court of Kerala. The judge
who is dealing with the
service matters was the Standing Council of the Board and
Additional Advocate General at the
time of previous UDF regime. The court stayed the transfer orders
in all most all cases as the
court found matter in the petitions. The Board authorities, as per
the direction of the Minister
flouted many of the Court directions. So contempt of court cases
are on the increase. The board
is also filling appeal against the orders of the Single Bench when
it is favourable to the Officers.
The Present Minister has no respect to the court and rule of the
land who pretends and act that he
is above all.
AIPEF unit of Kerala steadfastly standing behind govt. moves even
supported the
reduction of about 1000 places of Assistant Engineers, which was
done very skillfully with the
cover of ‘suitable re-arrangement of places’. Out of the 1000
places, about 600 are places to be
filled by promotion from Workmen category and the balance to be up
by direct recruitment. The
Sub Engineers are waiting for a lift for a long time and many of
them are retiring with out
getting promotion due to the delay in the promotion which is now
almost in a freezed state. We
came out with statements and propaganda against all these, which
wooed wide support from
employees. Moreover over this campaign stalled further reduction
of places of Officers which
was in the anvil temporarily.
It was this circumstances KSE Board Officers Association declared
a Dharna on 7th
September in front of Vaidyuthi Bhavanam. On the previous day
evening the Minister convened
a meeting of the top brasses of the Board and decided not to allow
any leave on 7th September to
any Officer and declared the Dharna as banned. A press release was
given stating that those who
participate in the Dharna will be dealt with iron hand. The above
meeting also decided to
suspend the total participants of the Dharna even if the count is
coming to 100, even after all
these threats.
Facing all these challenges of banning a Sathyagraha by Congress
Government, so called
disciples of Mahathama, a several hundreds of Officers took part
in the Dharna. According to a
veteran Trade Union Leader of KSE Board, the Dharna was the
biggest and most disciplined one
the Board Headquarters has ever seen.
Gazetted Officers Association of Government of Kerala come in a
procession and
greeted the Dharna. They also issued a statement deprecating the
banning of “Sathyagraha”.
AITUC Union of the Board also massively came to greet the Dharna.
Pro-AITUC Officers
Federation also greeted the Dharna. All of them condemned the
banning of “Sathyagraha”.
The Minister is repeating his threats still now in all official
Meetings, against the Association.
He is uttering that Officers have no right to speak or act against
Government Policies. Now, we
have planned to conduct vigorous campaign against Electricity Bill
– 2001, which has been
introduced in the House on 29th August, and trying to unify the
employees as far as possible
against it.
KSEB STAFF URGE GOVERNMENT TO WITHDRAW FROM MoU
The MoU according to the KSEBOA, intends to facilitate the
privatisation of power sector in
the state.
Com. E. Balanandan while inaugurating the dharna said, “ Even
developed countries had
come across serious setbacks when thy had privatized their
electricity supply services. They had
been ultimately forced to give up such reforms.
In India too, the experience of States which had gone ahead with
power sector privatisation
was not different. The Enron company was preparing to pack up from
Maharashtra. In Orissa,
the State Government had now placed its own administrators to look
after the affairs of the
private companies in the field of power supply. In every State,
where such reforms had been
implemented, the power tariff had skyrocketed”.
Mr. Balanandan asked whether the Antony Government had taken
trouble to study what was
happening in the States which had embraced the reforms programme
thrust on them by the
Union Government. The average power tariff in the country had been
much below the average
cost of electricity in other countries. As a result of ill-advised
reforms of the recent times, the
situation had now reversed, he said.
The general Secretary of KSEBOA, Mr. K.R. Unnithan, said the
intention of the agitation
was to highlight the fact that there were far better options for
addressing the problems of the
power board . The agitation was neither politically motivated nor
a move to cause
embarrassment to the State Government.
Mr. Unnithan asked the KSEB authorities and the Government to
consider the issues raised
by the association dispassionately and judge whether there were
any ulterior political motives
involved. “Those who close their eyes to the vital issues we are
raising and speak of banning our
dharna should try to rise above their prejudices. They will only
be belittling themselves by
banning this dharna,”.
NEW DELHI
The Delhi Science Forum held a workshop at YMCA, Jai Singh Road,
New Delhi on 6th and 7th
October 2001, to examine The Electricity /bill – 2001 and the
implications of siphoning of
public finances for IPP’s.
6th October 2001: The Electricity Bill – 2001 and its
implications, session was chaired by Sri.
M.K. Sambamurthi ex-chairman, CEA. Prabir Purkayastha placed an
overview in Indian Power
Sector. Other speakers were K. Ashoka Rao (NWGOPS), B.S. Meel
(EEFI) and Dixit (Prayas).
A resolution was adopted stressing that it is time that the
government stops its journey towards a mythical market driven power
sector and focuses on the needs of the people for secure and
affordable electricity. Privatisation of such essential
infrastructure imposes high costs on the consumer, which Indian can
ill afford. A least cost opinion for the power sector means an
active state sector, which the Bill 2001 negates completely. It is
based on a wrong understanding of the power sector that has failed
not only in India but also elsewhere. The country will have to pay a
very heavy price indeed if this Bill is passed by the Parliament.
Sri. Sambamurthi summed up the discussions and said that the
Indian power sector which was built on basis of cooperation since
independence is restructured with competition replacing cooperation.
Therefore, all the people of the country should be mobilized by
trade unions/associations and other stake holders to see that
government is forced to retrace the new power policy adversely
effecting the total development of the country due to power costs
rocketing sky high to unaffordable level.
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