Tehri officers go on strike over pay revision

Nearly 800 officers of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) today went on strike, threatening to disrupt power and water supply to nearly seven north Indian states including Delhi from the 1,000-Mw Tehri power project.

"We are on strike from today," said Ramesh Unniyal, general secretary of the THDC officers Association.

Unniyal also said the officers brought the construction work of the nearby 400-Mw Koteshwar dam to a halt, which was denied by the THDC authorities. Officials said the construction work at Koteshwar dam, which is an extension of the Tehri dam, was continuing. But Tehri MLA Kishor Upadhyay said the work of construction at Koteshwar was hampered due to the strike.

But the Tehri project officials claimed that power supply was continuing without any disruption. They said the employees on strike were not allowed inside the power house, which is being run by Russian engineers.

However, the strike of the THDC rang alarm bells with the political pressure mounting on the Centre to solve the problem arising out of the THDC officers' strike, who are demanding pay revision on a par with NTPC and other power utilities.

The Tehri power plant at present is producing 750 Mw of power which is being supplied to seven states including. In addition to this, the water from Tehri reservoir is also being supplied to the Sonia Vihar project in Delhi and other nearby states including Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, talks were on between the management of the THDC and the striking employees over the issue.

The Tehri dam has remained in umpteen controversies ever since its inception and the work of construction of the first phase (1,000 Mw) was completed last year amidst several strikes and other problems.