Chandigarh, Oct 23 (IANS) Haryana Energy Minister Anil Vij on Friday appealed to striking electricity department employees to end their protest and return to duty, saying the government was ready to discuss all possible options, including action under Section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2003.
In a post on X, Vij urged the employees to resume work amid widespread power outages affecting Gurugram, Faridabad and Nuh, where residents and businesses have been grappling with disruptions since Wednesday night.
“Appeal to the employees of Haryana who have gone on strike: End the strike and return to duty. We are ready to hold discussions on all options. This includes taking action under Section 108 of the Electricity Act 2003, ” he said.
The minister’s appeal comes as the ongoing strike by employees of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has disrupted electricity supply across several areas, affecting daily life, commercial establishments and industrial operations.
The employees are protesting against the Haryana government’s decision to privatise the power distribution system in Gurugram and Nuh. The agitation has intensified concerns over electricity supply and the impact of the proposed changes on the state’s power distribution network.
Everyday life and industrial operations in Gurugram, Faridabad and Nuh have been severely affected by the power outages following the strike. According to local residents, all three districts began experiencing widespread blackouts from around 10 p.m. on Wednesday.
The prolonged outages have triggered anger among residents, with people taking to the streets to protest against the disruption. In several areas, demonstrations have also affected vehicular movement, leading to traffic congestion.
According to residents, they had repeatedly attempted to contact the electricity department officials to seek the restoration of power, but their calls went unanswered. The lack of response prompted them to take their protest to the streets.
The protesting villagers said they would not vacate the road until the electricity supply was restored, adding to the pressure on authorities to resolve the disruption.
Vij’s appeal for employees to return to duty and the government’s willingness to discuss the available options come amid growing pressure to restore normal electricity supply across the affected districts.