Anpara C workers on war path

The awarding of the Anpara 'C' thermal power project to Hyderabad-based Lanco-Kondapalli will meet with stiff resistance from the electricity workers of the Vidyut Karamchari Samyukta Sangarsh Samiti, comprising the unions of the electricity sector in the state.

The power plant workers will go on a strike from next month. In a letter to the chief minister it has made it clear that if the project is given to a private sector firm the employees will agitate against it.

It has argued that Anpara 'C' is in the public sector, but this has been consistently sabotaged by the bureaucracy. This will enormously delay the project.

Second, the government has realised that the private sector has been a failure, and it has rightly decided to expand the existing capacity of the state powerhouses with an expansion of the 2x250 Mw project at Harduagunj, etc.

It has asked since Anpara A & B are in the public sector, and the proposed Anpara D is also to be set up by a public sector firm, why should Anpara C should be given over to a private sector firm?

Lastly, it says that "we are not against the private sector investment to increase generation". In the last 12 years, though many such projects have been given to the private sector unions have not opposed them, they said.