Bihar powermen on indefinite strike from Tuesday

Bihar is heading for a major power crisis with 16,000 power workers and engineers deciding to go on an indefinite strike from Tuesday in support of their demands for unfreezing DA and shelving the proposed trifurcation of Bihar State Electricity Board, among others.

The power workers and engineers across the state would abstain from duty from Tuesday morning, Power Engineer Service Association general secretary B L Yadav said after holding talks with BSEB chairman K A H Subramaniam in Patna.

"Nothing concrete came out in talks with the BSEB chairman. We are determined to go on strike from Tuesday," Yadav said as parleys between chairman and PESA representatives failed to break the ice.

Bihar power minister Shakeel Ahmad Khan said talks were on with the power workers at different levels. He expressed confidence that the government would succeed in persuading the workers to call off their proposed strike.

However, if all efforts failed and the power workers went ahead with their strike, the state government would make some alternative arrangements including hiring retired BSEB engineers and other skilled staff at various power sub-stations to maintain uninterrupted power supply in the state, he said.

He said the PESA demands included unfreezing of 43 per cent DA amount, enhancing the retirement age to 60 from 58, payment of arrears and withdrawal of the proposal for trifurcation of BSEB.