Chairman Konibali accuses government of attempting to impose deadwood policy on employees

PAMPORE: The Chairman of the Electrical Employees Union Jammu and Kashmir, Abdul Rahman Konibali accused the government of attempting to impose the deadwood policy on employees and exert immense pressure on them. He said the department’s employees work day and night to provide electricity to the people and urged the government not to “harass” officers.
Addressing a press conference here at Pampore to discuss the amnesty scheme, Konibali urged all the people of Jammu Kashmir to take advantage of this scheme and settle their dues promptly. He stressed that the Power Development Department (PDD) is a revenue department, and it is crucial for everyone to pay their bills according to their usage to reduce the load. Those with pending dues for two months should have their connections disconnected, he said.
Abdul Rehman reiterated that they do not want anyone to suffer due to pending fees and that they have already been instructed to disconnect the connections of those with pending fees for two months.
Addressing concerns about perceptions of poverty within the department, he appealed to those who hold such assumptions to consider waiving the fees for them. “These assumptions are not made by the Social Welfare Department but by the Revenue Department,” he clarified.
Konibali welcomed the recently announced amnesty scheme on behalf of the employees and citizens. He refrained from discussing an audio clip that had gone viral due to the pressure it puts on officers. However, he clarified the meaning of “dead wood,” explaining that running power supply at midnight or during a snowstorm is considered dead wood. He emphasized that despite misconceptions, they work round the clock, considering their duty a form of worship.
Regarding losses incurred in the Department of PPD, the Chairman Electrical Employees Union acknowledged the significant losses but emphasized the need to assess whether the losses from the previous year have decreased. He cited examples of completed cabling in Pampore and Khrew but highlighted the need for meter installations to reduce losses. He appealed to consumers to reduce their load as much as possible and stressed the importance of combining good intentions with action to achieve results.
Konibali urged the government not to implement harsh measures, emphasizing the hard work and efforts of the employees while requesting leniency from the authorities.

BILAL HABIB