Electric contractors association to boycott all works in Assam from August 25

DIBRUGARH:

The Power Electrical Contractor Association (PECA), Dibrugarh Electric Circle, has announced a boycott of all works in Assam for a week starting August 25, due to non-payment of dues by the state government.

"The government has not released the dues pending for over three years. We have, therefore, decided to boycott all works across Assam for one week, and if the government fails to release the payment within the period, we will intensify the stir," said Manish Kumar Dutta, president of Dibrugarh Circle, PECA , an association of Assam Power Distribution Company Limited’s (APDCL) empanelled contractors.

Dutta stated that dues amounting to Rs 15 crore is pending for Dibrugarh Circle, and the collective dues for six electric circles in Assam, amounting to about Rs 60 crore, have not been cleared to date.

"We had met Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and submitted a memorandum on the issue and the CM had assured us that soon the funds will be released. But the funds are still in abeyance," added Dutta.

Dutta went on to say that, given the Covid situation, the delay has caused acute financial woes to the workers, "We have 40-50 contractual contractors going through financial problems due to the Covid-imposed restrictions," he said, holding Power Minister Bimal Borah responsible for the issue.

(Edited by Shankar Kumar Turha)

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