Provide piece work for electrical contractors, Escoms urged

Karnataka State Licensed Electrical Contractors Association District Unit president Urban Pinto urged Escoms to provide piece work to local electricity contractors and solve their problems. He warned of conducting severe protests if the demands are not fulfilled.

He was addressing a protest meet by local electric contractors, in front of DC’s office in Mangaluru on Thursday.

He alleged that despite providing good service to people, local contractors are denied contracts and huge contracts are being given to influential contractors through partial turn-key and full fledged package modes, on 200 per cent higher rates. 

This has resulted in consumers paying more taxes, he said and alleged that the new system has snatched away the daily bread from local contractors.

Karnataka State Licensed Electrical Contractors Association district unit former President Shivakumar Pailoor opposed the move of the government of deploying staff into dangerous works and now leaving them purplexed.

He alleged of an alleged understanding between the department of energy and the influencial contractors. Though the local contractors have gone on an indefinite stir, the government has turned a deaf ear to their plight, he said and urged the government to scrap the new system and to provide piece-works to local contractors, as before.

The protestors moved on in a rally from Town Hall to the DC’s office and submitted a memorandum to the DC.Association Vice president H Sunda Gowda and General Secretary Chethan Mallya were present.

Memorandum to govt 

Meanwhile, the Udupi unit of Karnataka State Licensed Electrical Contractors Association, too, staged a protest in front of the DC office demanding the fulfillment of their demands here on Thursday.

Forwarding memorandum to the State government through DC Dr R Vishal,  Association, Udupi Honorary President Nagraj Rao demanded that the government should immediately reimburse the pending bills.

He censured heavily on the irresponsible attitude of the government which has failed to pay the pending dues. He said the contractors spend their money for the required material to repair the power lines. He alleged that the MESCOM is misguiding the consumers. 

It says that the delay in the repair works of power lines is due to the shortage of linemen.  

The future course of action will be decided in a meeting to be held on June 26 in Udupi. A decision is taken to furnish the works during emergencies in rainy season which would trouble the consumers in rural areas, he added.