Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, June 16: Opposition to the proposed privatisation of the electricity distribution network under the Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (MESCOM) intensified on Tuesday as officials, engineers, contract workers and employees staged a protest outside the utility’s headquarters at Bijai in Mangaluru, warning that the move could undermine public service delivery, stall recruitment and widen the gap between urban and rural power consumers.

The demonstration was organised in response to a proposal placed before the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) seeking approval to hand over MESCOM’s power distribution operations to a private player, reportedly the Tata Group.

Addressing the gathering, K Balaram, president of the Federation of Employees’ Associations in Karnataka’s power transmission sector, said the campaign against the proposed privatisation had entered a new phase, with awareness programmes being conducted across the state.

“Awareness activities against the privatisation of MESCOM are being carried out in stages. As part of the movement, ‘Door Meetings’ are being held throughout Karnataka today,” he said.

The protesters argued that electricity distribution, as an essential public service, should remain under government control and not be transferred to private entities.

Expressing concern over the proposal, Prashanth Pai, organising secretary of the MESCOM Engineers’ Association, said Tata had sought control over the distribution network in key urban centres served by MESCOM.

“If the distribution system is handed over to the company, fresh recruitment is likely to come to a standstill. There could be discrimination in the quality of services provided to urban and rural areas. Ultimately, the entire MESCOM system will suffer,” he warned.

Several representatives of employee and engineers’ organisations also addressed the protest, including Federation secretary Shivaram; Engineers’ Association vice-president K Krishna Rao; organising secretary B S Lohith; Employees’ Association vice-president Shankar Prakash; Accountants’ Association secretary Naveen Kumar; Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Welfare Organisation secretary Srinivasappa; and Diploma Engineers’ Association president Ramachandra.

Among those present were organisation office-bearers and members, including Nithesh, Varadaraju, Girish, Pushparaj, Chaitanya, Raghavendra, Shanmukhappa, Pakir, Sudhakar and Pinto.

Following the protest, the employees submitted a memorandum to MESCOM chairman K Harish Kumar, urging intervention against the proposed move. Harish Kumar assured the delegation that their concerns and objections would be conveyed to the government.

Calling for wider public participation, Balaram said stakeholders had until June 23 to submit objections to the proposal.

“Legislators, farmers, contractors and consumers must file their objections. We do not want privatisation. MESCOM should continue under the State Government, and pressure must be exerted to ensure that happens,” he said.

The protest marks the latest escalation in growing resistance from employees and unions, who contend that privatising MESCOM’s distribution network could fundamentally alter the character of the public utility and weaken its ability to serve consumers across both urban and rural Karnataka.