Chandigarh, June 27 (IANS) Power sector workers in Haryana on Monday refused to withdraw their two-day strike call for this month-end despite Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's assurance that the government was open to talks.
Khattar said his government was open to talks with the employees and their genuine grievances would be redressed.
He also constituted a three-member committee under the chairmanship of Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar, with the Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary, Power, as its members, to negotiate with the representatives of the agitating employees.
"We will go ahead with the strike call till the government accepts our demands without any conditions," a union leader said here on Monday.
The Chief Minister directed the officers of the power department to ensure that all possible measures are taken to ensure that supply of power is not disrupted and the people are not put to any inconvenience.
He said miscreants who might try to disrupt power systems would invite stern action against themselves.
The unions of workers of Haryana Power Utilities have threatened to go on a two-day statewide strike on June 29 and 30 across Haryana to press for their demand of an immediate end to "outsourcing" of jobs in the power utilities.
The Haryana government on Friday invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) in the state for six months in view of the strike call.
The state government has directed all Deputy Commissioners and the Director General of Police (DGP) to make necessary arrangements to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the strike.
The step has been taken to ensure that miscreants are not allowed to stop workers from performing their duties, a state government spokesman said here.
The government has prohibited the strike in the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Ltd, Haryana Power Generation Corporation Ltd, Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd by any of their employees for six months with immediate effect.
The strike call has been given when sowing of paddy crop is in full swing and power supply to agricultural fields has to be ensured.
