Telangana Power Sector artisans step up pressure to regularize services

The word `artisan’ was used in 2017 and they were identified under five different grades as per their qualification and work.

Telangana State United Electricity Employees’ Union president K. Eshwar Rao told Deccan Chronicle that the previous BRS government had promised to regularise their services, but “cheated” them. He stated that the artisans were literally working like Home Guards in the police department and were deprived of equal wages for equal work.

Eshwar Rao demanded that the state government abolish the standing order made in regard to service of artisans and implement the principle of same wages for same work in the same organisation.

He explained that Grade I artisans work in 220 KV and 132 KV sub-stations and carry out operation and maintenance works. Grade II artisans will do meter reading and collection of power bills, besides operation and maintenance of 33/11 KV sub-stations which normally supply power to residences and other establishments.

The artisans of other grades, who are either illiterates or pass outs of 10th and intermediate, are working as office subordinates, Eshwar Rao said.

Around 2,000 artisans under the aegis of Artisans JAC, staged a dharna in front of the TGSPDCL office at Mint Compound on Thursday. They demanded that the state government regularise the services of artisans and give promotions to all eligible employees.