The suspension of a woman officer of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has sparked a fresh row in the State power utility with the KSEB Officers' Association (KSEBOA) calling a half-day protest on Tuesday and the management declaring that dies non would apply to staff who boycott work.
The KSEB management on Monday issued orders stating that dies non will be applicable on Tuesday. The order further warned the staff that boycotting work will be treated as breach of discipline and would attract disciplinary action. Department heads have also been directed to report the details of staff keeping away from work.
The KSEBOA strongly condemned the stand taken by KSEB chairman and managing director B. Ashok. The association said it would go ahead with a much stronger protest than earlier planned.
The women sub-committee of the KSEBOA had decided to stage the protest in front of the Vydyuthi Bhavan from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday protesting the suspension of executive engineer Jasmine Banu, a state office-bearer of KSEBOA, and demanding the management to scrap ''unilateral and vindictive'' policies.
Ms. Banu was placed under suspension a few days ago on charges of keeping away from work and travelling outside the State without applying for leave. The KSEB management also brought a statement, signed by all the directors, on Monday stating that senior officers had reported that she travelled outside the State without applying for leave.
The KSEBOA has countered the charge saying that she had applied for leave.
