Lucknow, Mar 27 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) has issued orders to initiate the process for withholding one month's salary/pension of Vidyut Karamchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti leaders who led the recent 72-hour strike between March 16 and 19.

This follows the Allahabad High Court's order that directed the state government to withhold 28 noticed non-petitioners' salary/pension for calling the strike, in contempt of the court's earlier directives against the power strike in the state.

UPPCL director, personnel management and administration, MSD Bhattamishra said the order mentioned, "For serving employees from among the noticed non- petitioners, one month's salary has to be withheld pending further orders of the high court and this is to be ensured by the concerning director (finance) of discoms and of the headquarters."

The order further stated, "As for the retired employees from the noticed non-petitioners whose one month's pension had to be withheld, administrative approval is, hereby, accorded by competent authority for taking up the matter with the state treasury department."

The order also asked the concerning officials to ensure that the employees who were absent during the strike without sanctioned leave must be treated as being absent in an unauthorised way.