GEB engineers withdraw stir unconditionally

VADODARA, Feb 16: An impending crisis in the State's power situation was averted on Tuesday when the Gujarat Electricity Board Engineers'...

VADODARA, Feb 16: An impending crisis in the State8217;s power situation was averted on Tuesday when the Gujarat Electricity Board Engineers8217; Association unconditionally withdrew the strike call. Nearly 5,000 engineers were scheduled to launch a work-to-rule stir on Wednesday before going on an indefinite strike from March 6.

According to an official Board release, the strike had been withdrawn in view of GEB chairman Nalin Bhatt8217;s appeal. In a letter to Bhatt, GEBEA secretary-general J C Marathe apologised for the 8220;entire process8221;, the release said. Marathe was not available for comments.

The GEBEA has also sought Bhatt8217;s intervention in resolving the problems mentioned by association president Sanat Mehta in a letter to Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel.

Mehta told Express Newsline on Tuesday night that he has asked Patel to explain why the engineers had been given a 19 per cent hike in special compensatory allowance instead of the 20 per cent they had demanded. 8220;The arbitration of Energy Minister Kaushik Patel should be explained8221;, he added.

Mehta also voiced objection to the inclusion of employees of categories other than engineers in the Fifth Pay Commission benefits. According to him, a certain category of employees had not been covered by the MoU.

He also sought clarification about the actual financial burden imposed by the hikes and the figure claimed by the GEB and demanded that the MoU be followed up by the signing of an agreement.

The GEBEA had planned the agitation in protest against the State government8217;s acceptance of the Fifth Pay Commission report which, they said, did not include several benefits decided in a Memorandum of Understanding signed last year. Among other points, it said the special compensatory allowance had been raised 19 per cent instead of 20 per cent, as demanded.

Story continues below this ad

Criticising the engineers8217; stir plan, Bhatt had said on Monday that anyone going on strike or encouraging others to join the strike would be punished as the State government had been brought under the Essential Services Maintenance Act.