Engineers against govt move on Electricity Dept

PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry Electricity Department engineers and trade union federations have objected to the move of the government to convert the electricity department into a corporation. Addressing a press conference here today, Federation President P Velmurugan said the federation would organise agitations against the move. He said the public would be severely affected if the service sector was converted into a corporation. Power tariff would considerably be increased when the corporation started functioning with profi t motive, he claimed. ‘’Already this is being experienced in eight states,’’ he said, adding, ‘’Presently Puducherry is under the direct control of the Centre and is getting power from the central grid. When the department is converted into corporation, the subsidy will not be there which will affect the people.’’ ‘’Hence, to protest this move the federation would take out a procession on February 22 and will observe a token strike on February 28,’’ he added.