Consumers shouldn'tbear brunt of power staff strike: UPERC

Lucknow, Dec. 2 -- The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has taken a serious note of the indefinite work boycott by power engineers and employees. Following a petition filed by the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad (a consumer body, the commission has directed the chairman and the managing director of the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) to ensure that consumers do not face any inconvenience due to the ongoing strike. The work boycott began on November 29.

Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad chairman Awadhesh Verma said, "In the petition, we have demanded (that) under the order passed by the Supreme Court, the formula of no work, no salary should be implemented immediately."

Verma met UPERC chairman RP Singh and member VK Srivastava with a petition raising the problems faced by consumers due to strike.

He said under Section 23 of the Electricity Act, 2003 and the Electricity Distribution Code, 2005, the standards prescribed by the commission have not been met. Varma said, "In 2022-23, the five distribution companies spent Rs 2903 crore on salaries of staff. The expenses of one day come to around Rs 8 crore. In this case, if 50% workers are on work boycott, then the expenditure of Rs 4 crore for one day should be deducted on the basis of the order passed by the Supreme Court, on the basis of no work, no salary. Its benefit should be given to the electricity consumers in the next bill."

UPERC secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh issued directives to the UPPCL chairman and managing director that during the work boycott, the power companies must follow the Standard of Performance (SOP) prescribed by the Electricity Distribution Code, 2005. Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Hindustan Times. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at contentservices@htlive.com