Employees’ Strike: One-third of Jammu without power, admin seeks Army help

The Jammu and Kashmir administration sought the Army’s help on Sunday as a strike by employees of the power department affected essential services, including a hospital, and plunged large parts of the Union Territory into darkness amidst a harsh winter.

More than 20,000 employees, including linesmen and engineers, of the UT’s power transmission and distribution corporations are on a strike since Saturday against the administration’s decision to privatise assets and delay in payment of salaries.

With more than a third of Jammu division without electricity, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr Raghav Langer wrote a letter to the Ministry of Defence, the General Officers Commanding of 9 and 16 Corps, and sought personnel.