Lucknow: The UP government today directed all the concerned officers to ensure security of vital power establishments in the state even as the ongoing work boycott of the power employees continued for the fifth consecutive day.

"We have directed all the divisional commissioners and district magistrates to ensure security of vital power establishments including sub-stations in view of the boycott", Secretary Home, Kumar Kamlesh told reporters here.

Over 45 thousand employees of the power sector in Uttar Pradesh are boycotting work demanding a pay revision on the lines of the recommendations of the sixth pay commission.

Directives have also been given to ensure security to those employees, who wanted to attend their duties, he said adding, all necessary steps would be taken to prevent any untoward incident.

Due to heavy security, the power employees today held their meeting at field hostel here and alleged that Special Task Force (STF) had been deployed to arrest their leaders.

Convener of Vidyut Karamchari Samyukt Sangharsh Samiti, Shailendra Dubey said they would protest any arrest tooth and nail.

The power department employees are on the warpath alleging that the pay revision has not been granted despite instructions of state Power Minister Ramveer Upadhayay for pay revision from December.

Source : PTI