Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today expressed serious concern over some trade unions allegedly indulging in disruptive activities and resorting to violence, and warned that undesirable means for “political survival and recognition” would not be tolerated.
“Undesirable activities of some trade unions indulging in violence and obstructing works at hydropower projects to derive political mileage would not be tolerated as it delays the commissioning of projects and results in cost escalation,” he said while addressing the 25th General Conference of the Himachal Pradesh Power Engineer Association (HPEA) here today.
He said the legitimate demands of the labourers must be met and they should be given their dues as and when payable but the undesirable means of violence for political survival and recognition by trade unions would not be tolerated.
He said, “It has been observed that for taking political mileage and for their very existence, few trade unions, particularly in the tribal and far flung regions of the state, try to incite the workers to resort to agitation, but this would no longer be tolerated and strict action would be taken against such scrupulous elements and their masterminds sitting elsewhere and provoking them”.
The Chief Minster said since the tribal belt of Kinnaur lies close to the International Border, the government has decided to open a check-post at Wangtoo in the district for issuing inner line permits to keep a vigil on subversive elements in the larger interest of the country and the state.
Virbhadra also expressed concern over inordinate delay in commissioning of Sawara-Kuddu (111 mw), Kashang Hydel Project (195 mw – three Units of 65 mw) and Sainj (100 mw) projects.
The Chief Minister lauded the efforts of HPEA and said the association was doing a “commendable” job in facilitating the power supply to the country by adoption of latest state-of-the-art technology.
Meanwhile, president, HPEA, S N Upreti asked for grant of grade pay to assistant engineers (AEs) and assistant executive engineers (AEEs) and for adopting the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojna for HPSEB Ltd.
The Chief Minister said that the matter regarding grade pay of Rs 6,850 to AEs and AEEs was to be placed by the Service Committee constituted in this regard and assured that the government would take appropriate decision after receiving the recommendations of the committee.