LUCKNOW, Oct. 13 -- At a "Chintan Manthan Shivir" (brainstorming camp) held here under the banner of Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Parishad Abhiyanta Sangh, power engineers unanimously rejected the privatisation proposal put forward by the UP Power Corporation and resolved to intensify their ongoing agitation until the decision is withdrawn. The camp decided that engineers will make extra efforts to ensure uninterrupted power supply during Diwali. On the directions of the Engineers' Association, meetings will be held across all districts on October 16 to chalk out and implement plans for record electricity supply during the festival. All India Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) chairman Shailendra Dubey, the keynote speaker, analysed the options given by UPPCL chairman Ashish Goel following the privatisation of Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal discoms- joining private firms, shifting to other discoms, or taking voluntary retirement -and termed them detrimental to employees' future. "None of these options are acceptable. Privatisation will destroy the service security and morale of power staff," he claimed. Dubey and other speakers called for preparing for a "jail bharo" movement once privatisation tenders are issued. They also alleged that vertical restructuring in power distribution is a step toward privatisation through franchisees in major cities of western and central UP. Dubey claimed that tenders for urban distribution franchisees in these regions are likely to be floated along with those for the privatisation of Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal discoms....