Kesco staff fear losing jobs

KANPUR: The government’s decision to hand over the Kanpur Electricity Supply Company (Kesco) to the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has triggered apprehension among over 3000 employees here. Hectic parleys between NTPC and Kesco authorities have created uncertainty among the Kesco staff who anticipate a direct threat to their jobs after the NTPC’s takeover of Kesco.
The Kesco Employees’ Union has strongly reacted to the government stand and threatened to launch a stir if the proposal was not withdrawn.
In order to rescue the Kesco from losses, the state government has taken a major decision to hand over the company to the NTPC. After getting a green signal from the state government, a team of NTPC officials carried out surveys of the Kesco.
Union leaders stated that the government’s move had triggered panic among workers who feared that they might lost their jobs. In fact, the fate of more than 3000 Kesco employees was at stake, they added. Employees feel that NTPC officials will retrench staff once the takeover is complete as most of them do not meet their eligibility criteria.
Senior Kesco officials said that the decision to hand over the company to the NTPC was taken as it was incurring heavy losses. Various government departments have to clear Kesco dues amounting to over Rs 146.3 crore, while the Duncan Fertilisers Limited has to pay Rs 53 crore.
A senior official claimed that had all the government departments and other defaulters had cleared their electricity bills, the Kesco would have never incurred losses. The official also claimed that the company had cleared most of its liabilities.
Meanwhile, another senior official on condition of anonymity said the state government had taken a major decision to convert the Kesa to Kesco in 2000. The Kesco, which owed Rs 490 crore to UPPCL in 2001, had already paid Rs 370 crore to the corporation, he said.