Team Herald
PANJIM: On National Lineman Appreciation Day, 323 contract line helpers who have been working for the Electricity Department since last 15 to 20 years protested in front of Vidyut Bhavan, here, demanding immediate job regularisation.
Protestors further threatened to continuously agitate on the said issue until resolved. In regard to this, a mass rally of workers will be taken at Panjim on May 1, said General Secretary of Electricity Employees Union (EEU) Raju Mangueshkar.
Addressing the media on Monday, Mangueshkar appealed to the Government of Goa and Minister of Electricity Department Sudin Dhavalikar to intervene and resolve the long pending issue of absorption of these contract line helpers.
The EEU at the same time alleged and condemned the act of backdoor recruitment of new line helpers.
“A special resolution will be adopted to demand absorption of these line helpers and also to condemn government’s decision to privatise the Electricity department,” informed Mangueshkar.
Alleging that the privatisation of Electricity Department will increase the burden on consumers, Mangueshkar appealed the consumers to support the struggle of line helpers.
Stating that most of the line helpers have crossed the eligibility limit for recruitment, Mangueshkar demanded that the relaxation in recruitment age limit be considered while absorbing this staff in regular service and further urged the government to recruit this contract staff on priority basis.
