Chandigarh / Electricity workers' strike ends, power supply will be restored in the city in some time

Electricity workers call off 72-hour strike in Chandigarh. The strike started on the night of 21-22 February. According to sources, power supply will be restored to normal in the entire city in a few hours. Due to the strike, there was power outage in most parts of the city. Due to this people's problems are increasing. Chandigarh Administration has installed ESMA in the city after 30 years.

There has been a blackout in Chandigarh due to the strike of electricity workers against privatization. In all the areas of the city, electricity went out at 12 o'clock on Monday night and did not come till late Tuesday night. The Chandigarh Administration and the Electricity Department proved to be completely incapable of handling the situation. Neither could the power workers persuade nor prepare any backup plan. Late night, the Chandigarh Administration decided to take the help of Military Engineering Service (MES) of the Army. Late in the evening, the administration implemented ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) to put pressure on the employees who went on a 72-hour strike from Monday night. However, the workers called off the strike on Wednesday morning.

strike against privatization of electricity department

This strike of the electricity workers is against the Central Government clearing the file of privatization of the electricity department of Chandigarh and giving the work of electricity to the private company Eminent. The union alleges that the administration has privatized the electricity department by ignoring the orders of the High Court. The employees are demanding the withdrawal of this decision.

Help was sought from Punjab-Haryana but did not get

To overcome the power crisis, the administration sought trained workers from Punjab and Haryana. Punjab expressed its inability to help, while there was no response from the Haryana administration.

Mobile network connectivity also affected

Due to the strike by the employees union in the electricity department of Chandigarh, there has been power outage in some parts of the city. It has affected the telecom towers, thereby hampering the mobile network connectivity in the affected areas. Telecom operators and infrastructure providers are providing electricity to their sites, exchanges, etc. by using alternative sources like batteries, DG, solar panels, etc., in the absence of power supply in some areas. Lt Gen Dr. SP Kochhar, DG, COAI

Electricity workers will not be able to go on strike for the next six months

In order to forcibly end the strike of electricity workers, the administration has imposed the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) in Chandigarh for six months. Administrator's advisor Dharampal had issued an order in this regard. It is written in the order that it is necessary to ban the strike in the public interest.

On the other hand, the Chandigarh Administration swung into action late Tuesday evening, failing to make alternate arrangements despite being aware of the strike by the electricity workers. The reason for this was also the suo motu cognizance of the High Court regarding the strike. The administration has completely banned the employees of the Electricity Wing of the Engineering Department from going on strike for the next six months under sub-section-3 of the East Punjab Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) 1968.

Advisor Dharampal, on behalf of the Home Department of the Administration, issued an order late in the evening. It said that the electricity department's strike has affected distribution, transmission, operation and maintenance. Electricity is an essential service, so people have to face problems due to this, so it is necessary to stop the strike and it is in public interest. Electricity department employees cannot go on any strike for the next six months.