The residents and local political parties decided to go on a hunger strike after the government made failed promises of witholding the contract given to the private operator.
Tired of the state government turning a blind eye to their demands of not privatising power sector in the area, the residents of Mumbra, Kalwa, and Shil will once again stage a chain hunger strike from Tuesday. The residents and local political parties decided to go on a hunger strike after the government made failed promises of witholding the contract given to the private operator.
The residents of Mumbra-Kalwa-Parsik-Daighar along with the Torrent Hatao Kruti Samiti (THKS) will start a chain hunger protest in front of the Thane collector office, on Tuesday. "The state government decided to privatise power distribution and bill collection due to heavy pending arrears in the Mumbra-Kalwa region. They gave the contract to Torrent power for the same," says Dashrath Patil, senior leader from Thane. "We formed the THKS against this decision of the government and will sit on a chain hunger protest on Tuesday," he said.
On January 3, the state government awarded Torrent power company limited (TPCL) the contract of power distribution in Mumbra-Kalwa-Shil-Daighar area. This decision was taken as MSEDCL (Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited) was incurring heavy losses and over 40 per cent of its pending bills in the Bhandup zone were from these areas.
Angry residents of Mumbra-Kalwa opposed this move tooth and nail and all political parties called for a Mumbra-Kalwa bandh on January 19. Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde assured that he will speak to the energy minister Chandrakant Bawankule and the contract to TPCL will be withheld. But, according to sources, nothing has come out of this assurance.
Later from January 21 to January 23 Mumbra residents also sat on an indefinite hunger strike when MSEB (Maharashtra state electricity board) chief Vishwas Pathak met them. He assured the strikers that a dialogue will be held between the residents and TPCL and if they are not convinced then the contract will be withheld. "However, there was no meeting between the residents and the TPCL and we are tired of these false assurances. Hence, we will participate in the chain hunger strike next week," says Ayaz Babu Sheikh, Mumbra president - MIM (Majleese-ittehadul-musslameen).
POWER PROBLEM
- Mumbra-Kalwa-Parsik-Daighar locals along with the Torrent Hatao Kruti Samiti will start a chain hunger protest in front of the Thane collector office, on Tuesday
- This is being done against privatisation of power in the area
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