Baramulla, Dec 20: Opposing the alleged “privatisation” of grid stations in Jammu and Kashmir, the power employees staged protests in the Sopore and Bandipora area of north Kashmir after the government failed to address their issues.

Hundreds of power employees Monday launched a “work boycott” inside the premises of Ajar Grid station in Bandipora to press for demand while a similar demonstration was also witnessed in Sopore area as well.

“Cheen ka lengay apna Haq, Jeena han ya marna han Ajj humara darna han, ” by chanting these slogans, the employees continued their protest throughout the day in Sopore. The protesting employees said that the government is trying to privatise our grid stations, against which they are protesting.

“Our whole system has been converted into a corporation from the department which is a total injustice to us and we will not tolerate it at all,” they added.

“Until our problem is solved, we will continue to hold such sit-ins,” Abdul Hameed, a protesting employee said.

“It is a matter of our salaries, it will ruin the future of our children,” he said, adding that they just want to keep the system as it was before.

Another protester said that thousands of their employees have become disabled due to accidents while performing their duties.

Similarly another employee whose four fingers were burnt in a tragic incident while repairing an electricity line in harsh winter some years ago said that unless the government will not consider our four-point formula on priority, the strike will continue.

Twenty-thousand employees are protesting against the government move to merge J&K Power Development Department into the Power Grid Corporation of India and the handing over of the assets to private companies. kno