http://gmpsiaprec.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/protest-for-electrical-workrs-on.html Hundreds of Electricity LESCO staged a PROTEST+ 19th August, 2014 before the LESCO Headquarters Queens Road, Lahore under the auspices of ALL PAKISTAN WAPDA HYDRO ELECTRIC CENTRAL LABOUR UNION C.B.A to express their strong indignation and concern over
the rising tragic fatal accidents of the Line Staff on account of electrocution every now and then during
performing their duties due to unsafe working conditions and absence of Safety Gadgets and non-observance of
safety regulations and increase of load of work over the existing staff comparing with the rising quantum
of work day-to-day Ten Linemen of LESCO have been electrocuted in recent weeks, two Lineman Abdul Sattar
and Muhammad Arfan have been electrocuted within four days in Jia Mussa Sub Division, Shahdara, Lahore
while two Lineman. In LESCO Muridkey Division have died one after another.
More
than 25 Linemen, have died in Electricity Distribution of Electrocution in the
recent week and unsafe working conditions which speak itself the agony and
plight of the Line staff. The workers were carrying banners in support of their
demands for prevention of accidents and for ensuring safe working conditions for them at work place.
Veteran Trade
Union Leader Mr. Khurshid Ahmad, General Secretary of the Union speaking on the occasion urged the LESCO
management and the Government that the Electricity workers perform the most hazardous nature of work
at the risk of their lives and their tragic deaths not only cause unbearable sufferings to the members of the
bereaved families but also demoralize their colleagues as well as loss of skilled manpower to the national
public utility.
The existing staff has been overburdened on account of ban on recruitment for the years and those had
been working for longer hours every day while the work had been increasing on account of construction
of new lines and Grid Stations and new Elecy. Connections. It is adding fire to the fuel. He urged the
Government to lift ban on recruitment of staff. He also demanded that the management of LESCO should ensure
payment of compensation the ex-gratia Rs. 2.5 millions to the dependents as agreed by the Government at the
earliest.
He also pointed out that Electricity is basic of the citizens and its privatization would result
into further hike of power tariff and inter-provincial disputes due to differential power tariff. He appealed to the
workers to observe safety regulations strictly at work place, extend all cooperation to the
consumers and redress their grievances and raise standard of better services to the consumers.
It was demanded that
the Government should develop Hydel Power on war footing basis and the menace of overbilling be
eliminated to relieve the citizens from sky rocketing price of Elecy. and further urged that the control of
Distribution Companies be handed over to WAPDA to improve their working in the wider public interest and the
security to field staff be provided against the culprits for checking of pilferage of energy. Rao Zameer-ud-Din Chief
Executive Officer, LESCO addressed the Rally of the workers and assured that the management would spare to
stone unturned to prevent the accidents of the workers.
Article prepared by PAKISTAN WAPDA HYDRO ELECTRIC CENTRAL LABOUR UNION Secretary Information
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