DW BUREAU / PATIALA Power engineers and employees across the country today joined the two-hour peaceful protest meetings at the utility headquarters and generating stations in all the states across the country to oppose the proposed Electricity (Amendment ) Bill 2021 and against the privatization process of electricity distribution in Union Territories and other states on the opening day of Parliament session, said V K Gupta, Spokesperson of the All-India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF). The protest meetings were held in Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and other states under the banner of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE). Gupta said that the Ministry of Power has floated Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in haste and hurry to facilitate the privatization of power distribution networks to sell off public assets to private business houses conspicuously identified as cronies of the government. Implementation started with an electricity distribution network of the Union Territories like revenue potential Chandigarh, Dadra Nagar Haveli, and Puducherry. The government has chosen the opportune moment of lockdown to privatize the power distribution system. Today's agitational programme starting with protest meetings across the country will culminate with a work boycott on August 10 next. V K Gupta said that the Union government, in the enthusiasm of total privatization of economy inclusive of power, the prime mover has brushed aside the democratic views of opposition governments, the logic of employees and engineers inclusive of the judiciary. Gupta said that the consumers and power sector employees and engineers, the major stakeholders, are being ignored in finalizing the draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2021. The central government has not made any effort to discuss the issues with engineers and employees. Monday's demonstration is a peaceful symbolic protest and if central and state governments do not stop the privatization process, then power sector employees will be forced to resort to democratic agitational steps. (editor@dailyworld.in)