MESSAGE BOARD
NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

UP sacks 2,000 power workers: AFP

Authorities in India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh have sacked around 2,000 power workers in a bid to end a crippling 10-day-old strike, newspapers said on Monday.

Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Naresh Agarwal also refused to hold further talks with the 88,000 strikers opposed to the government decision to split up the loss-making Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board.

The government says the restructuring step is vital to end the perennial shortage of power and widespread power theft in Uttar Pradesh, a vast state of 160 million people bordering New Delhi. The strikers allege the decision has been taken under pressure from international aid agencies.

The Indian Express said some 1,500 striking employees were dismissed on Sunday on top of 500 sacked earlier. All prominent strike leaders have been jailed.

New employees are also being recruited to replace those who were dismissed, it said. Agarwal said he was not ready to negotiate directly with the strikers.

"The employees' union has sent feelers that they are willing to talk, but I have made it clear that they should first talk to (company) officials," he said in Lucknow, the state capital. "Earlier talks have failed. The strikers are not willing to compromise unless the government withdraws its decision to trifurcate UPSEB, while we have made it clear that what has been done will not be undone at any cost."

The widely criticised strike has led to a virtual blackout throughout the state. Even some hospitals are reportedly without power.

The federal government is also bracing for a solidarity strike this week by employees of other state-run electricity companies in northern India.

Of India's total generation capacity of 90,142 megawatts, nearly a fifth is lost in transmission, distribution and theft. The country has a shortfall of more than 20,000 megawatts.

Between now and 2010, India requires 100 billion dollars worth of investment to build its power base and another 150 billion dollars for the 10 years after that.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report