Puducherry govt requests for Power Grid officials to tackle stir by electricity employees

Puducherry, Oct 3 (IANS) The Puducherry government has requested the Centre to provide the services of Power Grid officials to tackle the crisis in the power sector of the union territory.

Notably, the employees of the electricity department of the Union Territory are on an indefinite strike since September 28.

They are protesting against the government's move of inviting tender to privatise power distribution. The Union Territory is facing a crisis with several parts plunging into darkness after some electricity staff allegedly took away fuse wires in some places.

Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has warned agitating employees of evoking stringent action of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against them. On Saturday night, some parts of the state witnessed power cuts for five to seven hours and in some places, it continued till Sunday. People blocked the roads in Villiyanur and Ariyapalayam.

State Home minister A. Namassivayam, who also holds the electricity portfolio, called an urgent meeting of the police officials and requested an additional company of CRPF.

In rural areas of Sedrapet and Madagadipet, protestors blocked the road for hours on Sunday leading to the local legislators taking up the matter with the home minister.

Namassivayam held an emergency meeting with top police brass and the state Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma on Sunday late night. The DG of Police, UT of Puducherry, Manoj Kumar Lal was also present.

"We will not allow anyone to take law in their hands and taking away fuse carriers in sub-stations leaving general public including patients at the hospital at their mercy can never be allowed. We have requested the central government to deploy the services of Power Grid of India officials to control the situation as well as two companies of paramilitary force to stand guard to the power stations in the territory," he told IANS.