APSEB engineers’ associations defer protests

Discom staff are opposing the Electricity Amendment Bill

The APSEB Engineers’ Association (APSEBEA) and APSEB Assistant Executive Engineers’ Association (APSEBAEEA) have deferred the protest demonstrations at power plants and circle and divisional offices across the State, which were proposed to be held from May 28 to June 6, following an offer of talks from the government.

The APSEBEA and APSEBAEEA have resolved to stage the protests against the government’s lukewarm response to the issues raised by them pertaining to the power utilities. They are opposing the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020, phasing out of old units of Dr. Narla Tatarao Thermal Power Station, joint venture/sale of Rayalaseema Thermal Power Plant, purchase of Athena and Amarkantak private power plants and the inordinate delay in recovering ₹4,500 crore from Telangana Discoms and collecting the dues from various A.P. government departments and unscientific capacity additions.

In a letter to Energy Department Secretary N. Srikant on Wednesday, APSEBEA secretary-general G. Ramakrishnudu and APSEBAEEA general secretary N. Lakshmana Rao said they were forced to stage protests as the government cold-shouldered urgent issues raised by them.

They stated that while the critical issues they have brought to the government’s notice were not sorted out, the Central government has come up with the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020 which jeopardised the very existence of the State power utilities.