SHIMLA/NEW DELHI: IN a resolute stance against the central government's privatization agenda in the power sector, the All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) convened at Chennai on March 17 today  to vehemently oppose the proposed amendments in the Electricity Rules & Electricity Act 2003.

The federation, representing 23 state constituents including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Assam, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu, rallied against the widespread privatization of distribution and transmission, purportedly under the guise of competitive bidding.

Apart from what AIPEF says, the other fact remains:  The private companies are not taking up the construction of the new projects mainly in the Himalayan region as locals are vocal about opposing the power projects, citing fear of ecological destruction and climate change that, in turn, would harm their sources of livelihoods and disturb their ecology and lifestyles.

Even Locals are being supported by NGOs and other Andolanjeevi organizations in Himalayan states from Ladakh, Lahaul-Spiti to Arunachal Pradesh, where hydropower potential remains untapped so far. 

As a result only the CPUs like SJVN, NHPC, NTPC are involved in construction of new projects.

On the other hand, the private companies are targeting the power distribution and transmission networks where they face no such hassles and get it on a platter without much investments.

The governments in respective states have reduced the state  power board's politics to mere lobbying on the part of  union leaders as the former pay no heed to their demands. 

The engineer's bodies also lobby with the private entities to have their cake. 

But the embrella body of power engineers have upped their ante ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and have put in place new officer bearers. 

Er Shailendra Dubey emerged as the unanimous choice for Chairman, while Er P Rathnakar Rao secured the position of Secretary General for the third consecutive term. The federation reinstated Er V K Gupta as Secretary (Media) & spokesperson, and Er Kartikey Dubey as Senior Vice Chairman.

Er Lokesh Thakur from Himachal Pradesh, newly elected as Additional Secretary General, emphasized the urgency of opposing the government's attempts to amend the Electricity Act 2003 and the Rules, warning against the relegation of states' pivotal roles in the governance of the electricity sector.

"These amendments threaten to reduce states' authority from active governance to mere listening posts," Er Thakur declared, echoing sentiments shared by his fellow engineers.

Er Suneel Grover, the newly elected Patron of AIPEF, rallied engineers nationwide to resist the encroachment on states' rights in electricity governance.

"The proposed amendments not only pave the way for privatization but also undermine states' equitable right to govern their electricity sectors," asserted Er Grover, emphasizing the need for vigilance among power professionals.

Meanwhile, Er Paramjit Singh, Chief Patron of AIPEF, advocated for a shift towards fast breeder reactors and increased hydro-generation projects in light of evolving industry dynamics. Singh underscored the importance of embracing sustainable energy solutions amidst mounting pressures for privatization.

Furthermore, the federation condemned the substantial investments required by struggling State Discoms under the Smart Meter Project initiated by the central government, alleging rampant corruption and questioning the project's necessity in light of existing provisions for free electricity to numerous domestic consumers.

As the nation gears up for the Lok Sabha elections, AIPEF's unified front, representing the collective voice of power engineers and state power boards, poses a formidable challenge to the government's power sector agenda.

Hydropower expert Manoj Kumar in reaction to AIPEF stance said:Another important issue that has emerged during the last few years is distribution of free electricity to consumers by state govts.

Although state electricity boards have to be compensated for loss of revenue by the respective state govts but in actual practice these dues from the Govt keep mounting.

As a result, boards find difficult to meet even salary and pension liabilities. It is ironical that inspite of free and subsidized distribution of electricity, boards are treated as commercial entities, he said.

Most of electricity boards in India have to struggle to meet their day to day liabilities including salary and pension, Manoj added.

In view of this, AIPEF may have to approach the govts to declare electricity boards as no profit no loss organization like PWD or any other Govt department, he said.

Will the BJP, Congress and other opposition parties pay heed to what the power engineers'  bodies demand?