Many areas of the state plunged into darkness due to power cuts as ‘trips’ occurred in many areas since Thursday as employees of the Power department, including the staff of MSPDCL and MSPCL went on cease work strike demanding implementation of the 7th Pay panel recommendations
TFM News Service
Both the hills and plains have been hit with power outages. Many areas of the state plunged into darkness due to power cuts as ‘trips’ occurred in many areas since Thursday. Trips is a jargon used by the power department employees which translate into-a power loss- following electric wire or other method of power transmission being halted due to unforeseen mechanical or natural reasons.
So, if due to any reason that the power went off at your residence, it will most unlikely be restored as the employees of the Power department including the staff of the Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSPDCL) and the Manipur State Power Company Limited (MSPCL) went on strike demanding implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. The strike began on September 8 and the hundreds of employees have left their offices to protest in front of the Keisampat power house located in Imphal West.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to mollify striking employees, Under Secretary (Power) Orjubala Haorongbam sent a letter to MSPCL Managing Director and MSPDCL Managing Director conveying approval of government for implementation of Manipur Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2019 for employees proposed at para 10 of the Cabinet Memorandum. However, suitable dates will be decided in consultation with Finance Department, as approved by the State Cabinet in its meeting held on 04/09/2021, it added.
The strike entering into the third day saw power ‘trips’ occurring in the secretariat area at Babupara on Friday, the administrative heart of the state government had to resort to emergency generator back up. Similarly, many power outages also hit districts of Churachandpur, Thoubal, Imphal West, Imphal East, Chandel, Noney etc. and power is still to be restored in the mentioned districts.
The power also went off in some areas within constituency of Heingang, which is the chief minister’s constituency. N Biren Singh in his facebook post late evening said that he is making all efforts to end the strike of the Power department, still an amicable outcome has still to be reached at the time of drafting this report. Sources said that talks are going on with the representatives of the Power department joint action committee and the government. The strike started as the government had agreed to give the demand of the 7th pay to the employees and the last deadline was on September 7 last. Afterwards, the employees who said that they have been let down despite repeated assurances finally decided to call it quits and start the agitation.
The employees decided to adopt a cease work strike since September 8 and many ‘trips’ have been occurring as the days progress in agitation. Many areas have been without electricity and the power department employees are not budging to repair the power transmission complications until their demands have been met.
Soram Sunny boy, an assistant manager of the Power department said that they are not pulling the plug on the transmission and would never do that as they have the interest of the public at foremost. He, however, said that those areas which have ‘tripped’ will not be addressed and repair will not be done until the demands are met. “We are not doing any maintenance work, we took up the decision and we do not encourage any shutting down,” he told TFM, adding that the government should be held responsible for the power interruption.
Employees also joining the cease work strike said that they are not using pressure on the public nor are they shutting down the transmission. They said that the outage happens naturally and the power department employees fix in around the clock. They have undergone rough phases during this Covid pandemic as front-line workers to maintain transmission in the larger interest of the public, however the salary of the employees is not commensurate with the present times -this has to be addressed, they said.
Another officer said that a staff if posted at Jiribam has to fork out Rs 3,000 per travel on fares and he is paid only Rs 14,000 per month. So, even if he goes on rotation basis, his travelling costs far exceed his salary. “These are the situations that seek redressal, we just want our dues as per the salary which staff members of other government departments are getting,” said an employee on conditions of anonymity. He added that the public should complain to the ministers and MLAs for the power outage and the employees of the department of Power should not be held responsible. At present, the state government is sending police and other concerned authorities to bring about a conclusion to the impasse.