Striking engineers warned of action

Among one of the major grievances of 5,000-odd engineers is that the Government has given them a rise of only 19 per cent in special compensatory allowance instead of the 20 per cent they had demanded. The work-to-rule stir is to be followed by a mass casual leave on March 5 and an indefinite strike from March 6. Following the issuing of the strike notice on February 10, the Gujarat Government brought the GEB8217;s services under the ESMA.

Describing the engineers8217; decision to strike work as 8220;unjustified8221;, Board chairman Nalin Bhatt said that if necessary, ESMA provisions would be used against engineers going on strike. This includes a minimum fine of Rs 1,000 and a maximum fine of Rs 2,000 and a prison term of six months.

Bhatt said that the attempt to affect 65 lakh consumers would not be tolerated.