The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Outsourcing power board work stayed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 28, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Outsourcing power board work stayed

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, AUG. 27. The Madras High Court has stayed a Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) decision to outsource the operation and maintenance work in its distribution circles and sub-stations.

Justice R. Balasubramanian granted the interim stay and ordered notice to the TNEB Secretary, member (distribution), and the chief engineers of the personnel and distribution wings, on a petition filed by the Central Organisation of Tamil Nadu Electricity Employees.

In his petition, its general secretary, S. Pancharatnam, said the board first told all chief engineers in the distribution regions that the operation and maintenance of newly-commissioned and regularly manned sub-stations should be outsourced. By another order last month, it was decided that the operation and maintenance works of the distribution section other than construction works be attended to by outsourcing. Similarly, on August 10, it was decided that operation and work in the control centres of the Chennai distribution circle be carried out by outsourcing.

Claim disputed

Disputing the TNEB's explanation that outsourcing was done owing to dearth of staff, which would lead to delay in breakdown service operations, the petitioner said more than 22,000 workmen were employed on a "purported contract basis," and their claims for regularisation had been pending adjudication before the Industrial Tribunal here since 2000."

Also, "in order to defeat the claims of these workmen and in blatant contravention of a Government Order in 1990, which abolished contract labour system, the TNEB is seeking to implement its decision to outsource the operation and maintenance work in distribution circles and sub-stations. It is significant to note that the works which are sought to be outsourced are areas wherein the Government has prohibited engagement of contract labour."

Describing the outsourcing move as "ex facie illegal," Mr. Pancharatnam said that "by the impugned action, all the posts of helper, which are lying vacant and against which the organisation has raised an industrial dispute seeking regularisation, will stand abolished."

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