The Chandigarh Administration has extended the LOI (Letter of Interest) to the power privatisation firm. While speaking to The Indian Express, Chief Engineer C B Ojha said that "the LOI has been extended until January 21". This means that the firm has got time till January 21 to deposit it's money, which is Rs 870 crore, with the UT Administration. Only after the money is deposited, the Chandigarh Administration will be handing over the assets of UT power department to the private firm under privatisation. Ojha added, "In fact by the extended time, even the evaluator shall submit the report." The UT Administration had floated a tender to appoint an evaluator who will examine the PF and other dues of the incumbent employees of the power department. There are 1,100 employees in the power department, including outsourced employees. Recently, the apex court had dismissed the plea of UT powermen against the Punjab and Haryana High Court order, paving the way for privatisation of electricity in Chandigarh. The Eminent Electricity Distribution Limited, the firm, has been issued the letter of intent and will be handed over the UT power department. The firm gave the highest bid in the power privatisation project in 2021. Employees of the power department feel that they will be losing their jobs as power would be privatised. Has to give Rs 871 crore The Eminent Electricity Distribution Limited, a Kolkata-based company, had quoted Rs 871 crore against Rs 175 crore reserve price of the project. It is classified as a non-govt company and is registered at Registrar of Companies, Kolkata. Its parent company is the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, which is the Kolkata-based flagship company of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, born from the erstwhile RPG Group, under the chairmanship of businessman Sanjiv Goenka. A total of seven companies had come forward to bid in the race. At that time, these included Adani Transmission Limited, Tata Power, Torrent Power, Sterlite Power, Renew Wind Energy, NESCl (NTPc) and Eminent Electricity Distribution Limited. Demonstration continues Meanwhile, the demonstration by electricity employees continued and protests were held in all the offices during the lunch break. Addressing the rallies, union president Amrik Singh, general secretary Gopal Dutt Joshi and others demanded cancellation of the "decision to sell the electricity department to a private company at a pittance and cancel the LOI issued to the company". They alleged that the officials of the administration are "repeatedly flouting the rules and bidding process and are also violating the service conditions of the employees without taking the option from the employees. They are being forcibly handed over to a private company against their will". Joshi alleged that the administration is going to hand over the department to a private company without deciding the service conditions of the employees and without taking their option. They questioned that "how can anyone change the government status of the employees without asking them?" Demanding complete cancellation of privatisation and cancellation of LOI, they warned that the day the department is handed over, a boycott will begin from the same day.
