Infusing about ₹1,000 crore for automation of sub-stations in AP Transco and AP Discoms as pilot projects is not justified when AP power utilities are under severe financial stress and also the sub-station automation system is uneconomical and a failure model in the country, said members of APSEB Engineers’ Association and APSEB AEEs’ Association.
In a representation made to Secretary, Energy Department, N. Srikanth, they also opposed the Electricity Amendment Act-2021, which they said was meant to facilitate privatisation and that it would severely impact the interests of State government, the power utilities and the consumers. “All the neighbouring States strongly opposed the amendment to the Act and unanimously turned it down in their respective State Assemblies,” they said in the representation insisting that Andhra Pradesh should also follow suit.
The members urged the department authorities to honour the terms and conditions of promotions, transfers, leaves and allowances, as was agreed upon in a tripartite agreement.
Alleging suppression of initial and promotional cadre posts in AP Transco, they pointed to the increasing network expansion and said instead of creating new posts, the management was trying to reduce the entry-level and promotional cadre posts, which may put additional burden on the existing employees and increase in restoration time of the breakdowns.
They said the career progression of engineers in all power utilities was very poor and they had been waiting for years together (stagnation: AEE to DEE 18 years and DEE to EE, 20 years). Forcible transfer of office-bearers, unnecessary disciplinary cases on employees and pending DAs from January 2020 were some of the other issues raised by them.
