Karnataka Contractors Protest Tata Power Entry, Warn 60,000 Jobs at Risk
More than 60,000 contractors, labourers, and their families may face job losses if the Karnataka government and the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) grant a licence to Tata Power Company Limited (TPCL) for electricity distribution, according to the Karnataka State Licensed Electrical Contractors Association.
Addressing over 5,000 contractors at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Monday, state president C. Ramesh said, “It will be a huge injustice by the State government to thousands of families if private players enter the ecosystem. They will hire their own men for electricity supply and other works. Moreover, their focus will only be on urban areas rather than rural areas. Rural areas will be left to suffer.” He added that the association has ten demands that the government must fulfil, failing which they will continue the protest.
Questioning TPCL's petition, Ramesh asked, “Why did TPCL apply for a licence for parallel power distribution in 15 districts, especially in Bengaluru? Why haven’t they applied for the same in Kodagu or Mysuru? Because they know that they will benefit the most in Bengaluru compared to any other district. It is a revenue-generating metro city with many IT companies. When contractors and labourers work in places like Kodagu and Mysuru, it shows that they are service-oriented rather than just out to make a profit.”
Farmer organisations participating in the protest warned of shutting down state highways if the government proceeds. Muninarayanappa from Chitradurga said, “There is a risk that the free and subsidised electricity facilities being provided to farmers for agricultural pump sets will be reduced or cancelled. This could be a major blow to the agriculture sector. If the cost of electricity increases, the cost of irrigation also increases. As a result, the cost of agricultural production increases, which directly affects the income of farmers.”
Contractors also cautioned that lakhs of families receiving free electricity under the Gruha Jyothi scheme could lose the benefit. V. Ram Prasath Manohar, Managing Director of Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL), requested contractors to withdraw their protest and promised to meet them on June 27.
