A three-day strike called by electricity board employees in Haryana to protest against privatization has begun taking a heavy toll on Gurugram, plunging several parts of the city into blackout-like conditions. The sweeping power outage has severely disrupted daily life for residents, while also crippling drinking water supplies across multiple neighborhoods. Authorities report that over 3,000 complaints related to power failures were logged within just 12 hours of the strike commencing.
The Crisis Began Late Night
The protest action officially kicked off on Wednesday at 10 PM, immediately triggering a flood of distress calls and complaints from various residential and commercial sectors across Gurugram. According to employee representatives, the electricity board received 945 complaints during the night hours alone, while another 2,245 grievances poured in during the first two hours of the morning. This rapid surge pushed the total number of registered complaints past the 3,000 mark in roughly half a day, with online portals and call centers receiving continuous alerts.
Protesting Against Privatization Plans
The core grievance driving the strike is the government's push toward privatizing the electricity sector. Union leaders allege that the administration has consistently ignored their persistent demands, leaving them with no alternative but to resort to a strike. Employees point out that they had previously issued warnings to the authorities, yet their grievances remained unaddressed.
With workers walking off the job, essential maintenance and fault repair work on power lines has ground to a halt. Union officials claim that approximately 40 percent of Gurugram is currently experiencing complete power disruption or severe supply cuts.
Water Supply And Daily Routine Hit Hard
The prolonged power cuts have compounded difficulties for ordinary citizens, with water supply networks also failing in several zones due to a lack of electricity to run pumping stations. Residents are struggling to manage basic daily chores, facing immense inconvenience in tasks ranging from cooking meals to arranging drinking water storage.
Warning Of An Indefinite Agitation
Striking personnel stated that while previous agitations were often called off following verbal assurances from the government, they are determined to fight to the finish this time. Electricity employee unions have warned that if the administration refuses to scrap the privatization plan and initiate talks on pending demands, the current three-day symbolic strike will be escalated into an indefinite statewide agitation. Workers confirmed that a meeting with the joint struggle committee is scheduled for the 24th to finalize their next course of action.
Union representatives reiterated that they will not back down based on hollow promises alone. They maintained that the agitation will only be reconsidered after the privatization order is formally withdrawn and concrete decisions are made regarding their long-pending demands.
