Haryana Power Workers’ Strike Leaves Gurugram Residents in Darkness for Over 16 Hours
GURUGRAM: Residents across several cities in Haryana are facing severe inconvenience following a three-day strike by electricity department employees protesting against the grant of a power distribution licence to a private company. The strike, which began on the night of October 21, has disrupted electricity supply in several areas of Gurugram, Faridabad and Nuh.
In Gurugram, several localities reportedly experienced power cuts lasting more than 16 hours, leaving residents struggling without electricity, drinking water and internet connectivity.
Why are electricity workers on strike?
The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission has granted a parallel electricity distribution licence to Eleven Power Private Limited for a period of 25 years in Gurugram and Nuh districts.
Opposing the decision, the Haryana Bijli Karmachari and Engineers Joint Struggle Front has alleged that allowing a private company to distribute electricity would weaken the public power sector and threaten the job security of around 40,000 employees. The organisation has called a three-day strike demanding action against the decision.
Residents face water shortage, disruption to work
The prolonged power cuts have left several households without functioning inverters. Children have reportedly been forced to study using mobile phone flashlights, while the disruption to electricity supply has affected water pumps, leading to drinking water shortages in several localities.
Internet and Wi-Fi disruptions have also affected professionals working from home, adding to residents’ frustration.
Angry residents reportedly staged late-night protests, blocking roads and highways, including the Daulatabad flyover in Gurugram, over the prolonged disruption.
Government promises legal action
Haryana Energy Minister Anil Vij and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini have clarified that the state government was not responsible for granting the licence to the private company.
The government has said it will challenge the order before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity. It has also indicated that it may invoke Section 108 of the Electricity Act, if required, to take steps to overturn the decision.
In an effort to resolve the impasse, the government has scheduled talks with employee unions for October 23. The meeting is expected to focus on the employees’ concerns and ways to end the strike.
Residents are now awaiting a resolution to the dispute and the restoration of normal electricity supply across the affected areas.
