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NSA invoked against striking UP power sector workers

The power situation in Uttar Pradesh continued to be grim on Monday, the third day of the strike by the State Electricity Board employees, who refused to deviate from their stand rejecting the power sector reforms in the northern state.

Generation in all the major power stations of the state, except two units of Anpara, had halted due to the strike while alternative arrangements by the state government failed to deliver the goods, causing hardship to consumers.

According to an official spokesman, the thermal power generation in the state was 630 MW against the normal generation of about 2200 MW while the hydro generation was 414 MW, leaving a huge gap between the demand and supply.The power import was to the tune of 1800 MW which was also inadequate against the demand, he said.

Meanwhile, the state government indicated that strict measures against the employees, including termination of services, would follow.

The spokesman said restarting of 210 MW unit of Anpara had provided some relief but other plants of the state have been giving zero output.

He said in view of the continuing strike, the state government was thinking in terms of giving OBRA and Anpara plants on ''management contract'' to National Thermal Power Corporation engineers.

Meanwhile, employees indulging in sabotage were being arrested and about two thousand such employees had been arrested so far. National Security Act had also been invoked against six employees.

On other hand , the power supply situation in several places of the state was serious and most cities of the state remained without power, reports reaching the state headquarters in Lucknow said.

The residents of the state capital are facing power crisis, as one-third of the urban areas were without electricity. Large portions of the Old City area were experiencing an acute water crisis due to non-availability of power.The new areas to join them included La Place area where the flat of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajapyee is situated.

The state government was holding high-level meetings to tackle the power situation which was grim at the moment.

UNI

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