People's Democracy

MEETING at New Delhi on October 6, an extended meeting of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCEEE) has decided to go on a strike on December 18, in protest against the Electricity Bill 2001. The bill was recently introduced in parliament to facilitate the privatisation of India’s power sector.

The following agitation programme has been adopted to see that the disastrous Electricity Bill 2001 is withdrawn:

1) Avenues of united action will be explored to see that the bill is not passed in the parliament.

2) All the federations and unions will send representation to the standing committee of parliament on power before October 28, opposing the bill, with a request for personal hearing. The NCCEEE will jointly send representations, giving basic points about why it is opposed to the bill.

3) All the federations and unions will jointly mobilise electricity employees and engineers throughout the country and particularly arrange awareness campaigns among the people at large.

4) State-level joint conventions will be conducted on November 21. These will endorse the strike action and mobilise the employees and engineers in favour of the strike.

5) Massive district level rallies will be arranged on December 4.

6) In order to register protest against the bill, electricity employees and engineers will go on strike action on December 18.