Pondy electricity dept staff detained for protesting privatisation

PUDUCHERRY: Over 300 striking staff of Puducherry government’s electricity department were taken into custody when they held a demonstration at the head office here to oppose the dispensation’s move to privatise power distribution. A group of employees gathered at the main entrance of the head office in Uppalam late on Sunday night raising slogans. Police intervened and initially made appeals to the staff to disperse. But they continued the agitation and police detained all the employees by lodging them in a community hall on the Jipmer last night. The Union Territory had earlier on Sunday declared as ‘illegal’ the ongoing strike by electricity staff. Home and Electricity Minister A Namassivayam had warned the staff that the government would take stern action if they persisted.