After the private university row, a new trouble is unbundling in Chhattisgarh. A resistance against the proposed unbundling of the SEBs is building up in the state, with over 17,000 employees of the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board (CSEB) calling for a strike on March 30.After two days of talks with the employees’ unions, CSEB chairman Rajeev Ranjan today made a public appeal to them to call off their strike. ‘‘We are ready to go to any length to remove staff apprehensions, including safety of their services. But it’s not within our limits to roll back the power reforms process in the country,’’ he said.The Central government has set a June 9 deadline for implementing the power sector reforms, which calls for bifurcation of the SEBs — most of these being loss-making ventures, with Chhattisgarh power board being a lone exception. The state power board unions are thus opposed to splitting the CSEB.P.N. Singh, leader of the Employees’ Coordination Committee, said: ‘‘We will not compromise on our demand to scrap the Electricity Act, 2003. No unbundling of the board will be allowed.’’The CSEB has some bulk consumers like Bhilai Steel Plant and South-Eastern Railways. ‘‘Even now the CSEB staff are drawing salaries that are at least 34 to 35 per cent higher than their counterparts in MP,” Ranjan said. He gave an open offer to the staff: ‘‘If you take up a challenge to reduce transmission and distribution losses by 8 per cent and increase the Plant Load Factor by 6-8 per cent, the CSEB will concede any of your demand.’’
