THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSEB Officers' Association will hold a satyagraha on Tuesday at the Electricity Board Headquarters to protest against the action taken against an executive engineer on charges of keeping away from work without taking leave. However, the conflict in the KSEB intensified with the management declaring that dies non would apply to those who boycott work.

The action was taken against Jasmine Banu, who is also the state office bearer of the KSEB Officers Association. Two months ago, a large number of KSEB employees had launched a strike against the management's decision to hand over the security of the KSEB headquarters building to the SISF. This strike was called off with the intervention of the government and the political leadership. KSEB, the most important public sector undertaking in the state, is now at a loss. The strike organised by a section of officers comes amidst this. Officers' Association president MG Suresh Kumar and general secretary B Harikumar said in a press conference that the employees would go on an indefinite strike if the management takes disciplinary action taken by imposing dies non. The action was taken against the executive engineer, in charge of power supply in the areas including the Secretariat, for keeping away from work and travelling outside the state without applying for leave, the report of the KSEB board of directors stated. The KSEB vigilance unit had investigated and reported the matter.

The board's report also stated that in the explanation given to the company, the employee pointed out that it was a mistake to stay away from work without taking leave. The Chairman had replied to the petitions received in this regard that relevant reports should be received to consider the request to withdraw the suspension. The board management made it clear that it was immature and baseless to misinterpret and propagate this reply as an insult to femininity.

Officials of the Officers' Association said in a press conference that they will not allow the management to sabotage the protest by declaring dies non.