the goan I network
MARGAO
The Electricity Employees Union (Goa) has threatened to come on to the streets during the ongoing session of the Goa Legislative Assembly if their host of demands are not addressed by the government.
The Union has cited a host of issues, including non-regularization of workers, delay in disbursement of insurance benefits, failure to provide safety equipments for the staff which has been awaiting redressal for years now.
Addressing the media, Union general secretary Raju Mangueshkar warned that anger and resentment is growing amongst electricity employees in Goa against higher authorities and the government for the total apathy and neglect towards their basic working conditions.
He said the Power department has not regularized more than 400 line helpers, who have been continuously working for more than 8-9 years in the department.
To add insult to injury, he said the department has recruited and regularized new line helpers under political influence. Moreover, he said delayed payment of salaries and wages to contract workers has become the order of the day.
He pointed out that resentment is also brewing amongst the permanent employees due to the delay in in granting them MACPS, thereby depriving them of the timely increase in salaries.
Mangueshkar said that reminders to electricity department to provide raincoats, basic tools and equipment to the linesmen have fallen on deaf ears.
“Due to total absence of safety equipments, linesmen have to undertake work risking their lives. Not providing rainwear, gloves, proper footwear makes it difficult to patrol and maintain lines passing through thick vegetation,” he added.
He claimed that workers are deprived of immediate medical treatment even though they are all insured due to lethargic and administrative failure.
Citing the recent incident and subsequent death at Sanvordem, Mangueshkar said the department is still silent to find out the cause of the accident, adding that victims do not get ex-gratia payment on time towards medical treatment.
While making a fervent plea to the government not to compel the Union to go on an agitation, which may result in inconveniencing the general public, Mangueshkar appealed to the people to support their peaceful and democratic methods of agitation to preserve and promote social harmony.
