DMK mulls legal option to oppose power privatisation in U.T.

Should the government throw away the assets built using public money, asks R. Siva

The DMK will oppose the Centre’s decision to privatise power distribution in the Union Territory, Opposition leader R. Siva has said.

“The concerns expressed by the employees on privatisation are genuine. It is not the question of us joining or supporting the indefinite strike called by the employees on February 1, rather it is the question of us opposing a wrong policy of the Union government to privatise a profit-making entity. On Saturday, we are meeting the legal wing of our party at Chennai to explore various options to oppose the move,” Mr. Siva told The Hindu.

The Centre has not given any convincing explanation on the need for privatisation. Even revenue wise or from a distribution perspective, the Electricity Department does not face any major hurdles or issues. The government has not been able to explain to members of the public the benefits of privatising the entity, he said.