Jammu electricity crisis explained: What is going on and why is Army called in [updated]

Having failed to reach an amicable agreement with thousands of striking employees of the Power Development Department (PDD), the J&K administration on Sunday requisitioned the assistance of the army to man electric installations/supplies in the Union Territory. Almost the entire Jammu city and the rural areas have plunged into darkness as the striking employees of the PDD refuse to man duties until the government reverses its decision to privatise the power sector in the UT.

After the daylong discussions with the representatives of the striking employees failed to persuade them to return to their duties, the administration on Sunday evening requisitioned the army to man electric power supply in Jammu division.

In a letter to the Defence Ministry, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Raghav Langer wrote: "It is to bring to your kind notice that due to strike by electric department personnel in the UT of J&K, essential services have been severely affected in the Jammu region. We would like to hereby requisition the Indian army to assist in the restoration of the said essential services by provisioning manpower to man critical electricity stations and water supply sources."

Why Jammu plunged into darkness?

Over 20,000 employees of J&K's power transmission and distribution corporations went on a strike on Friday midnight. The employees on strike included linesmen and engineers, crucial to man the electric installations and supplies. The protest was prompted against the administration's decision to privatise assets and delay in payment of salaries.

As a result of this, thousands of J&K residents had to endure intense chilling temperature. The power outage also occurred at a time when COVID-19 pandemic is still a concern and hundreds of patients rely on oxygen concentrators, which require electricity to be turned on. The power outage also sparked a widespread outage by Jammu residents, who protested under severe cold wave conditions.

The protesting employees of the power sector have presented a four-point formula to the J&K administration, including a white paper on non-fulfilment of the recommendations of the unbundling report and the failure to create positions as mandated by the committee at gazetted and non-gazetted levels, regularisation of daily wagers and all power development department engineers, India Today reported. However, the administration reportedly failed to accept their demands.

The employees are also demanding that their salary be delinked from grant-in-aid and get a regular budget for all PDD employees. Despite several rounds of talks with the coordination committee of the power employees, no resolution was reached and the strike continues.

"The Government has already agreed on two of their major demands -putting on hold the proposal for formation of JV(joint venture) and ensuring delay in salary is immediately resolved," said official Twitter handle of Department of Information and Public Relations, Govt of Jammu & Kashmir, urging the employees call off their strike as people in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions are suffering.

Army steps in to restore power

Owing to the hardships faced by the Jammu residents amid intense sub-zero conditions, the civil administration sought Army's help to restore the power supply in J&K. Engineering teams from the Army arrived at grid stations in Jammu and other districts on Sunday to restore the power in the UT.

In Jammu and Kashmir, there are a total of 53 government runs ITIs-27 Kashmir Valley and 26 in Jammu province. Furthermore, 34 private polytechnic colleges are also functioning in the Union Territory.

The government also called all final year students in "electric engineering" on essential service duties by Govt in view of electrical employees strike. Electricity was restored at some places in Jammu after around 36 hours after DC requested army for help.

The strike called off

After three days of protest, the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department employees have called off their proposed indefinite strike, top J&K government officials have confirmed. With this, the masses rejoice as the valley faces sub-zero temperatures and power outages only made matters worse for residents, especially in the Jammu division.

As the PDD employees have called off the strike, the electricity is to be restored in the valley soon. Power restoration work has reportedly started.

Jammu electricity crisis: Highlights

1. Over 20,000 employees of J&K's power transmission and distribution corporations on strike since Friday midnight
2. The employees protest against administration's decision to privatise assets and delay in payment of salaries
3. Thousands of J&K residents endure intense chilling temperature as UT plunged into darkness
4. Talks to resolve the power crisis have failed, no resolution reached; strike continues
5. Army was called in to restore electricity in J&K
6. After three days of protest, the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department employees have called off their proposed indefinite strike