Privatization of Power: 72-hour-long strike of PDD employees to end today

‘PDD employees say unbundling of department will be opposed tooth and nail’

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 26-Sep-2019

The Power Development Department (PDD) offices across the Valley remained shut for the third consecutive day with the employees of the department staging protest  in the premises of Chief Engineer’s Office in Srinagar to press for their demands.The employees under the banner of Jammu and Kashmir Power Employees  Coordination Committee (JKPECC) had called for 72-hour-long strike from September 24 to protest against the process of un-bundling of PDD department by the  government.According to the wire service – Kashmir News Observer (KNO), hundreds of employees today assembled at Chief Engineer’s office today and chanted  slogans on favour of their demands. The employees have organized protests against the process of un-bundling of the demands at South Kashmir’s Anantnag district  and at Sopore TLMD Amargarh on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.During the protest, the members of the Coordination Committee as per the wire service –  Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that the order number 164-PDD of 2019 dated 20-09-2019 issued by the government wherein a committee has been constituted is  totally biased as it represents a handful section of the employees only and the representation of more than 31000 employees has not been taken into account.The  Coordination Committee also said that some of the officers are sabotaging interests of employees of the power development department with regard to support un- bundling of J&K PDD.The Coordination Committee further said that they will not tolerate the highhandedness of some of the Chief Engineers/ officers of the department  who are misguiding the government, as well as employees regarding the fate of the department.The protesting employees said that the future strategy to protest for their  demand will be discussed soon, adding that all measures being taken by the government for un-bundling of the department will be opposed tooth and nail as such a move  would push thousands of employees towards starvation. (KNO)