TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2007 PATNA: Over 14,000 workers, engineers and officers of Bihar State Electricity Board protesting against its restructuring on Tuesday went on a 24-hour strike, plunging the state into a serious power and water crisis.
The Power Grid Corporation, National Thermal Power Corporation and the Army have been approached to help restore and maintain electricity, state Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said when contacted regarding the strike.
"I hope power and water supply would be restored in the next few hours," he said.
The strike was called by BSEB's Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers against restructuring of the board.
"There is absolutely no electricity or public water supply across Bihar. Our strike is total," Convenor of the Coordination Committee of Power Workers, Officers and Engineers B L Yadav said.
He said all generation and distribution units of BSEB were closed down as a "precautionary measure to avoid any accidental fire during the absence of personnel".
Yadav ruled out the possibility of any immediate parleys with the employees after last-ditch efforts to persuade them to call off their strike failed last night.
"We assured them there will be no retrenchment and their service conditions in the units to be created after the restructuring of the board would remain unchanged, but they refused to pay heed and went on strike in utter disregard for the plight of the people," he said.
The Power Grid Corporation, National Thermal Power Corporation and the Army have been approached to help restore and maintain electricity, state Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said when contacted regarding the strike.
"I hope power and water supply would be restored in the next few hours," he said.
The strike was called by BSEB's Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers against restructuring of the board.
"There is absolutely no electricity or public water supply across Bihar. Our strike is total," Convenor of the Coordination Committee of Power Workers, Officers and Engineers B L Yadav said.
He said all generation and distribution units of BSEB were closed down as a "precautionary measure to avoid any accidental fire during the absence of personnel".
Yadav ruled out the possibility of any immediate parleys with the employees after last-ditch efforts to persuade them to call off their strike failed last night.
"We assured them there will be no retrenchment and their service conditions in the units to be created after the restructuring of the board would remain unchanged, but they refused to pay heed and went on strike in utter disregard for the plight of the people," he said.
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