Paramilitary forces to arrive in Puducherry to protect power stations: Minister

The Minister said that 24 employees from Central Power Grid have visited Puducherry to deal with the power outage in Puducherry.

Puducherry: With the employees of the Puducherry electricity department being on strike for the past four days, Electricity Minister A Namassivayam said late on Saturday night that two companies of paramilitary forces will soon arrive in Puducherry to protect the power stations.

He also said that 24 employees from Central Power Grid have visited Puducherry to deal with the current situation in the Union Territory. "Twenty-four employees from Central Power Grid have visited Puducherry to deal with the current situation in Puducherry. Two companies of paramilitary forces will arrive in Puducherry to protect the power stations,” he said.

Due to the ongoing strike by the Puducherry electricity department in protest against the move to privatise power distribution there had been power outages in some areas of the Union Territory. On Saturday there was a sudden power outage in large swaths of Puducherry plunging several rural and urban areas into darkness.

Namassivayam, who is also the Home Minister, said that the administration would not remain a silent spectator to the disturbance and dislocation in power supply caused by the strike. Speaking to reporters after an emergency meeting with officials of the police and electricity departments, he also cautioned the protesters against deliberately disrupting the power supply.

Namassivayam also said that he had received reports that a section of the power staff entered certain sub-centres in rural areas in an unauthorised manner earlier in the day and removed the fuse carriers, causing power disruption.

He said the administration would take stern action against the staff who “deliberately” disrupted the power supply. Namassivayam also said no agitation should cause inconvenience to people. He assured the people of the Union Territory that the administration will spare no efforts to restore the power supply as soon as possible.