Privatisation of power sector an onslaught on rights of employees, resources of JK: Qayoom Wani

Srinagar : Senior trade union leader and former President Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) Ab Qayoom Wani on Wednesday warned that privatisation of the power sector in Jammu & Kashmir would be an onslaught on the rights of the employees of Power Development Department (PDD) and its allied wings including the J&K Power Development Corporation .
Reacting strongly to the design of the govt to privatize the power sector of Jammu and Kashmir against proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill-2020 and privatization of power sector, senior trade Union leader and a Civil society leader Wani termed the decision ” anti-people and anti employee” which he said is ” an attempt to snatch the rights of employees and resources of Jammu and Kashmir which is “the only potential source of economy, energy and the employment generation” in the present scenario in Jammu & Kashmir.
In a statement issued here on Thursday, Wani endorsed the concerns of the Jammu & Kashmir Power Employees Coordination Committee (JKPEECC) and called their protest demonstration against privatization of the power sector a genuine move.
Wani said that the announcement made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for privatization of DISCOMS of Union Territories was a grave concern when it comes to Jammu and Kashmir for the obvious reasons.
He said that the hallmark of domination is that main stakeholder, the employees of the department have not been involved anywhere and the decision was being impsed on them against their whims and wishes, without any consultation.
Wani endorsed the statement of JKPEECC that has vehemently condemned the “draconian and anti-people legislation” as well as privatization proposal with clear object of snatching away right of access to electricity.
Wani said that waters were the resources ofJammu and Kashmiri and the production and use of electricity is their right, but snatching it from them in the name privatization would be a blow to the economic, infrastructural and industrial growth and expansion in Jammu & Kashmir . Wani said that at a time when the whole world including J&K was fighting COVID19 pandemic, the Power deptt ministry is busy in implementing it’s privatization order to put thousands of employees in mental distress and force them to pursue the path of agitation and protests.