PSEB unbundling need of hour, says Lakhowal
Anshu Seth
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 10
The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) today extended support to “unbundling” of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) terming it as the need of the hour. The union leaders denied support to 22 kisan organisations protesting against the move.

The decision to this effect was taken following party state executive committee meeting held in Ludhiana.

BKU president Ajmer Singh Lakhowal stated that farmers were not getting power supply and as a result the farming community was bearing huge losses. “If the state government is committed to give undisrupted power supply to the agriculture sector post unbundling, the farmers have nothing to lose,” he added.

Coming down heavily on PSEB employees, who are raising hue and cry over the decision, Lakhowal alleged: “More than 4,000 employees do not dispense their duties but have ample time to stage protests that has put a question mark on the existing work culture in the board.”

However, the BKU president also said the government should also safeguard farmer’s interests post “unbundling”. “The government should be ready to add power bills and maintenance of tubewells to the cost of electricity production”.
Strike call: PSEB to deploy staff of other depts
Kanchan Vasdev
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 10
In a move to tackle the strike of PSEB employees against its unbundling, the board has decided to avail itself of the services of its superannuated employees and staff members of different government departments.

To ensure that the work of the board does not suffer after the Cabinet meeting on unbundling on April 15, senior officials of the board were asked to use the services of engineers from the PWD, technical staff of municipal corporations and the Bhakra Beas Management Board and employees of the National Thermal Power Corporation.

Directions to this effect were issued at a special meeting of the chief engineers and superintending engineers of five zones held today to ensure uninterrupted power supply on April 15 and 16 in view of a strike call given by the PSEB employees.

The Member (Distribution), Kirandeep Chaudhary, asked the officials to ensure the safety of 550 power grids with the distribution division of the PSEB out of a total of 725. The rest of the grids are with the generation division.

He also asked them to prepare lists of retired staff members and take them into confidence in case their services were required. They have also been asked to provide a copies of the lists to the deputy commissioners so that it was possible to call them up in case of need.

‘‘The public will not be allowed to suffer. It is not a difficult job to do. All officials will readily offer their services, ’’ said Chaudhary while addressing the meeting .

Chaudhary said the agenda of the meeting was to tackle the situation. ‘‘We have asked the officials to be prepared so that we are not caught napping, ’’ he said.