Chennai: The state is likely to face a major power crisis on Monday (Oct. 20) when 10,500 permanent workers of Neyveli Lignite Corporation go on a one-day token strike in support of the indefinite strike undertaken by contract workers seeking regularisation of their jobs. No headway was made in the tripartite meeting on Tuesday to end 42-day long contract workers’ strike and the unions are planning to meeting Chief Minister O.Panneerselvam to seek his intervention.
Power generation and mining activities are expected to come to a halt on Monday when the state will not be able to get its quota of 1,181 mega watt (mw) as its share from the 2,490 mw output of NLC thermal power plants. The duration of power cuts imposed in rural parts of the state will go up if NLC generation falls. At present, the state faces a deficit ranging from 1,000 mw to 1,500 mw as against a demand of 12,500 mw to 13,000 mw.
The permanent workers will go on 24-hour strike starting 10 pm on Oct. 19 in support of the 13,000 odd contract workers. “Till now the management has been able to maintain normal power generation with the help of permanent workers. The token strike will affect power generation,” said AITUC affiliated Jeeva Oppantha Thozilalar Sangam general secretary K. Venkatesan.
