Even as the KSEB Officers' Association (KSEBOA) threatened an indefinite protest from Monday against the suspension of its leaders, B. Ashok, chairman and managing director, KSEB, has indicated that official procedures will be followed in the matter.
''We have suspended two union leaders over clear departures. We have issued a memo of charges and they are required to file their written statement of defence. If that is found satisfactory, the case can be closed. They have 15 days to do it,'' Mr. Ashok said here on Friday.
Following a half-day protest on April 5 against the suspension of a woman officer, the KSEB management had slapped suspension orders on KSEBOA State president M.G. Suresh Kumar and general secretary B. Harikumar, sparking an outcry.
At a press conference here on Thursday, Mr. Suresh Kumar and Mr. Harikumar had announced the KSEBOA's plans to launch a stir from Monday and stop cooperating with the management. They had also levelled certain allegations against the management that the latter refuted through a statement.
Mr. Ashok said on Friday that ‘violent’ forms of protest would be dealt with strongly. Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty would be back in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday and his ‘‘guidance’‘ was expected in sorting out the issue, Mr. Ashok said. KSEBOA observed a ‘black day’ on Thursday and Friday as part of its protests against the management.
KSEB workers’ forum stages stir
The CITU-backed KSEB Workers' Association staged sit-ins outside KSEB circle offices on Friday demanding promotions for electricity workers and meter readers who entered service in the KSEB after October 31, 2013.
The association also demanded urgent deployment of personnel in section offices and supply of adequate materials required by the offices for day-to-day operations. K. Jayaprakash, CITU State committee member and all-India secretary of the Electricity Employees' Federation of India, inaugurated the protest.
