• The employees who attended the protest after closing down payment counters have been interdicted

By Ajith Siriwardana  

Fifteen CEB employees, who were in charge of the payment counters have been interdicted for engaging in the recent protest by closing down payment counters and inconveniencing consumers, CEB spokesman Engineer Noel Priyantha said yesterday.  

He said the employees had attended the protest by closing down payment counters despite the Gazette notification declaring electricity supply as an essential service and a circular being issued cancelling the leave of all employees.  The suspended employees (Shroff guards) are from Sabaragamuwa, Sri Jayawardenepura and Avissawella of the Distribution Division 3. 

 
The Spokesman said investigations were underway in other sections as well and action would be taken after completing the investigations.   

The protest was launched by the CEB trade unions claiming that plans were afoot to privatise the CEB.   
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara had instructed the CEB management to suspend the services of any employee who defies orders of the management and take disciplinary action accordingly.