Vijayawada: No permission for AP Power Employees protest

Vijayawada: In a straight warning to the AP Power Employees Joint Action Committee, who proposed to stage a massive protest and Chalo Vidyuth Soudha on August 8 in Vijayawada, NTR district Police Commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata informed that they won’t allow any sort of protests and dharnas in the limits of Vijayawada city and warned that they would take a stringent action against the persons, who defy the rules as per law.

The CP said that currently section 144 and section 30 is being imposed in Vijayawada city. He also said that the AP Power Employees’ JAC and other Employees unions are proposing to organise protest in the city, however, the government and as well as the city police didn’t give the permission to organise this stir. He also explained that Essential Services Maintenance ACT (ESMA) is also being invoked presently and added that the electrical department comes under ESMA.

Kanti Rana pointed out that the State government had issued orders (GORT No.54) on May 10, 2023 by banning the strikes of the employees of the APEPDCL, APSPDCL, APCPDCL and APGENCO for six months. The Police Commissioner outlined that they would take stringent actions against the protest under the IPC 143, 427, 452, 283, 341, 506, 120(B) R/W 149 and PDPP (Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act) Act. Apart From that they would also take actions under Andhra Pradesh Conduct rules. The CP said that the police department is going to deploy 2000 police personnel, besides CC cameras, drone cameras and videography to oversee the situation. He also said that they would inspect every vehicle which comes to Vijayawada.