Over 90,000 power employees in Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday, began a 72-hours work boycott in support of their demand for implementation of the January 25 agreement. The call for the boycott has been given by the U.P. Vidyut Karmachari Sangharsh Samiti, an umbrella organisation comprising around 10 trade unions of powermen.
The convenor of the Samiti, Shailendra Dubey said the government had failed to fulfill its promise of setting up a Rs 1,000 crore GPF trust for the employees in the wake of trifurcation of the U.P. state electricity board by April 30 last. Eight months had since passed and no action had been taken in this regard, Dubey said adding that the workers would intensify the agitation if the government did not fulfill its promise. The powermen, who had remained on strike for over 10 days in January last had entered into an agreement with the government in this regard besides other matters, Dubey said. Chairman, U.P. Power corporation R.K. Nigam, however, termed the agitation as ''unjustified'' saying Rs 100 crore had already been earmarked for the trust and as soon as more funds was received, the government would fulfill its commitment. Bureau Report