Workers in various other parts of the state also are striking work against privatization
Employees from the Government power sector have gone on a 72 hours strike from Tuesday midnight. The daily activities of the Mahavitran and Mahanirmiti companies may be impacted due to the strike. The employees are protesting against the privatization as they have assumed that the state government will give power sector distribution to Adani Electricity Company which has sought a license for parallel power distribution. The strike has been called on the pretext that the Mahavitaran Company will be sold to the Adani Group.
To stop the privatization of the Maha Distribution Department, employees have been on strike since midnight. 8500 electricity workers in Chandrapur district have gone on strike. Mahavitaran, Mahaparesan, and Mahajenco employee unions have all supported the strike. There are 300 employees of Mahaparesan, 1900 employees of Mahavitaran, and 6350 employees of Mahajenco in the district. However, Mahavitaran has made full preparations to continue an uninterrupted power supply during this strike.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Regulatory Commission has received an application from Adani Electric Company seeking parallel approval to wind up the Maharashtra Power Distribution Company. If the government gives the approval, the issue of employment of officers will arise. The power workers alleged that while the power distribution company was profitable, it could go into loss and shut down.
The Mahavitaran, Mahaparesan, and Mahajanco employee unions have been on strike since January 3, 2023, at midnight. Organizations believe that if Adani Electric Company starts supplying electricity in parallel, Mahavitran company will be doomed and have the same fate as the government telecom sector.
In order to prevent this from happening, on January 2, 2023, talks were held between the Energy Secretary and the managers of all three companies and representatives of all organizations but unfortunately, the talks failed. A meeting was held on behalf of the Maharashtra State Employees Officers Engineers Sangharsh Committee and the Power Employees Joint Action Committee Urjanagar.
Meanwhile, in Satara two 36 MW units each have been shut down in the Koynanagar power plant in Satara, which produces energy. The units have been closed by the employees. Reportedly, the generation of electricity is affected by the strike. The power generation has also stopped due to insufficient staff. The common citizens are facing inconvenience due to the same.
Aurangabad has also started a strike of Mahavitran employees. The protest of the employees started outside the office of Mahavitran. In a short time, the Mahavitaran employees of Aurangabad will take out a march on the collector’s office.
The electricity supply at Parbhani at 10 places is also affected due to the strike of the Mahavitaran employees. Substations are closed in Pethshivani, Tadkalas village.
