Power engineers oppose privatisation of PSUs
Tribune News Service

Panipat, August 25
The All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) has condemned the nexus of corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and corporate houses, accusing them of selling out public sector units at throwaway prices to private houses.

Shailender Dubey, secretary general, AIPEF, said the trend in the power sector towards privatisation of generation and franchising of key distribution areas to private parties was embedded in corruption. The instances of franchising of key distribution areas had resulted in huge profits to the private franchises, while the state distribution companies (discoms) had faced corresponding losses.

He alleged that in Haryana, a deal involving political forces was under consideration for handing over the industrial cities of Gurgaon and Panipat to an industrial house of Mumbai.

He said the privatisation of power generation was done by signing MoUs in violation of the tariff policy of the government notified under the Electricity Act 2003. “The setting up of private sector plants under the MoU route is illegal and the Centre had moved the Supreme Court to uphold the provision of tariff policy regarding competitive bidding. The MoU route gives the private party a free hand to inflate capital costs and claim higher tariff which in turn burdens the consumers”.

He said the AIPEF had resolved that the power engineers at all levels would oppose and fight corruption.