Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini has called a meeting in Panchkula on Friday with representatives of the four unions amid a three-day strike by employees of state-owned power distribution companies against the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC)’s order granting a 25-year parallel distribution licence to a private company in Gurugram and Nuh.
A DHBVNL official said the meeting was called as Saini does not want the common people to suffer due to the strike.
“The representatives of the unions will attend the meeting in Panchkula, following which the further situation on the strike will become clear,” he said. Haryana Power Engineers Association general secretary Ravinder Ghanghas confirmed that they received a message from the state government on Friday morning for the meeting.
He appealed to the employees to end the strike and return to duty as people took to the streets in Gurugram, Faridabad and other places against the outages, which left many with no water. Vij said the options include action under Section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2003, which empowers the Haryana government to issue written policy directions to the HERC on matters related to public interest.
Haryana energy minister Anil Vij said the government is ready to discuss all options. The government can override the HERC’s order granting the parallel-distribution licence to the private firm, energy department officials said.
“We are waiting for the confirmation on the time of the meeting, which is expected to take place in the PWD guesthouse in Panchkula. He added that the course of their strike will depend on the meeting outcome.
It may take place any time before or after lunch,” he said.
