Jammu: Having failed to reach an amicable agreement with thousands of striking employees of the Power Development Department (PDD), the J&K administration on Sunday requisitioned the assistance of the army to man electric installations/supplies in the Union Territiory.
For the last 24 hours, almost the entire Jammu city and the rural areas have remained plunged into darkness as the striking employees of the PDD refuse to man duties until the government reverses its decision to privatise the power sector in the UT.
After the daylong discussions with the representatives of the striking employees failed to persuade them to return to their duties, the administration on Sunday evening requisitioned the army to man electric power supply in Jammu division.
In a letter to the Defence Ministry, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Raghav Langer wrote: “It is to bring to your kind notice that due to strike by electric department personnel in the UT of J&K, essential services have been severely affected in the Jammu region.
“We would like to hereby requisition the Indian army to assist in the restoration of the said essential services by provisioning manpower to man critical electricity stations and water supply sources.”
Meanwhile, a local news agency KNO reported that government has deployed specialized teams of Military Engineering Services (MES) on a number of power receiving stations across Jammu zone to restore the power supply snapped due to the strike of employees.
On Divisional Commissioner Jammu’s request late evening, teams of the Engineering Wing of Army referred to as Military Engineering Services have been taken to power stations in protection of Army and Police. The wing of Army has started their efforts to restore electricity, KNO reported, adding, a number of receiving stations in Jammu are presently under the control of Military Engineering services.
