Strike against power privatization in Chandigarh impacted telecom towers: COAI

New Delhi: Cellular Operation Association of India (COAI), the representative body for the Indian telecommunications industry, on Wednesday said that the strike by Chandigarh electricity department employees against power privatization has impacted telecom towers, leading to disruption in mobile network connectivity.

Chandigarh electricity department employees launched a three-day strike on Tuesday against the Union Territory administration’s decision to privatize it.
“Privatisation could lead to a rise in power tariffs,” said the president of UT Powered Union, Dhian Singh yesterday.

In an official statement, Lt Gen SP Kochhar, DG COAI, said, “Owing to strike by Union of Employees in Electricity Department of Chandigarh, there have been instances of power outages in parts of the city. This has impacted telecom towers, which is leading to disruption in mobile network connectivity in impacted areas.”

Further, Kochhar informed that the telecom operators and infrastructure providers are taking all measures to power their sites and exchanges.

“Telecom operators and infrastructure providers are taking all measures to power their sites by using alternate sources, including batteries, DGs, and solar panels in the absence of executive board supply in some areas,” he added.