Hyderabad: Demonstrating against Centre's bid to privatise the energy sector, electricity employees in Telangana staged a protest against the introduction of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022 in Lok Sabha on Monday. The National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees (NCCOEE) and Engineers had given a call for a nationwide boycott of work to protest against the new legislation.

Dozens of electricity employees, who were wearing black clothes, staged a dharna in Hyderabad. The agitators claimed the Bill to amend the Electricity Act favours the corporate sector. The striking employees have requested the people to cooperate with them if they see any power supply disruptions in their neighbourhood.

“The claim of providing a choice of multiple service providers to power consumers in the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022, is misleading,” AIPEF Chairman Shailendra Dubey said adding, the new legislation will make state-run discoms loss-making entities.

Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 sent to standing committee energy for examination.#Electricity_Amendment_Bill_2022 pic.twitter.com/0IjlTuQOc6
— All India Electricity Employees Social Forum (@AllDiscom) August 8, 2022

It is pertinent to note that electricity employees are demanding that the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022 should be withdrawn in its present form and if the government wants to bring it, then it should be referred to the Standing Committee of Parliament on Electricity Affairs so that all the stakeholders especially the common electricity consumers and power workers may get opportunity to submit their view points.

Also Read: Electricity (Amendment) Bill Introduced in Lok Sabha, Oppn Stage Walkout

Meanwhile, the Centre has announced that the bill will be referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee where all concerns can be discussed.