Release 6L each for 10 power sector workers, HC tells govt

Cuttack: The Orissa high court has ordered for the release of Rs 6 lakh compensation each to 10 workers who lost over 25 years of their life and reached the age of superannuation because they were not reinstated since Orissa State Electricity Board (OSEB) was taken over first by North Eastern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha (NESCO) in 1998 and then by Tata Power Company in 2021.The direction was given on November 22 by a two-judge bench, comprising Justice Arindam Sinha and Justice Sibo Sankar Mishra, to TP Northern Odisha Distribution Limited (TPNODL) and the government of Odisha’s Central Electrical Division.TPNODL is a joint venture between Tata Power and the government of Odisha with the majority stake being held by Tata Power Company. Following OSEB’s takeover by NESCO, the labour court in Bhubaneswar had ordered the reinstatement of 38 workers in 1998. However, when Tata Power took over, none of them had been reinstated and six of them had died. While 17 of them were reinstated by TPNODL, the rest who did not get reinstatement, in the meantime, reached the age of superannuation. Of them, 10 workmen filed a petition in the high court last year, seeking relief.Their case was argued by advocate Subhransu Bhusan Mohanty.In all these years the labour court’s award was challenged in the high court and the Supreme Court by NESCO, only to be dismissed by the apex court. Besides, during the takeover by Tata Power, the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission had ordered for relief to all the workmen in 2021.“Allowing the prayer of the petitioners, we direct TPNODL and the government of Odisha’s Central Electrical Division to pay Rs 6,00,000 to each of the 10 petitioners within four months from the date of receipt of this order. The payment shall be in addition to wages,” the bench said in its order.

High Court reinstates 45 drivers retired by Uttarakhand

The Nainital high court has set aside the Uttarakhand government's decision to force 45 state roadways drivers and conductors to retire, ordering their immediate reinstatement. The court found that the employees were not medically examined and no review committee was formed to assess their performance. The Uttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC) had issued the forced retirement notice in September 2022, but the court ruled in favor of the employees and granted them all consequential reliefs.

Tata Power 'charges' electric vehicle ecosystem: Deploys 62,000 home EV chargers

Tata Power has installed 11,529 new EV home chargers in Q2 FY24, bringing the total count to 62,000 in India. The availability of Tata Power's home charging solutions facilitates the customer base of growing Tata Power EZ Charge. Virendra Goyal, Head of Business Development (EV Charging) at Tata Power, highlighted the milestone of 62,000 home chargers and the commitment to accelerating the electric mobility revolution in India. Tata Power EZ Charge has deployed public EV charging stations at various locations and aims to build a robust out-of-home charging network in India.

Drivers, conductors forced to retire by govt reinstated by HC

The Nainital high court has set aside the Uttarakhand government's decision to force 45 state roadways drivers and conductors to retire due to alleged physical unfitness. Justice Ravindra Maithani has ordered the immediate reinstatement of these workers with the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC) and all consequential reliefs. The court found that the employees were not medically examined and that no review committee was formed to assess their performance before the forced retirement notice was issued in September 2022.