PSEB Unbundling: April 15
Flag marches begin, leaders go into hiding
Tribune News Service

Ferozepur, April 11
The police has started carrying out flag marches in rural and urban areas in the state to sound a warning to unscrupulous elements in the wake of the unbundling of the PSEB.

The police authorities have also started using public address systems installed at religious places to caution people to keep a strict watch on movements of such elements in their respective areas and to thwart their any activity to cause damage to power transmission lines during a two-day strike (April 15 and April 16) by PSEB employees’ unions.

Meanwhile, a major section of leaders of various unions of PSEB employees have gone into hiding fearing their arrest by the police to sabotage their agitation. On the other hand, lists of names of those leaders, who were expected to create law and order problem during the strike, had been supplied to the police stations concerned.

It is learnt that security personnel belonging to the IRB and PAP have been deployed at vital installations, including power generating units and distribution grids. Each district had been given five to seven companies of commandos.

The PSEB authorities have also prepared lists of its retired employees of the technical wing so that their services could be used for keeping power supply uninterrupted in case agitating workers caused any damage to transmission lines.

More technical hands were being called from the National Thermal Power Corporation, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation and the PWD.

Kaypee seeks CM’s assurance

Chandigarh: Punjab Pradesh Congress president Mohinder Singh Kaypee has sought a categoric assurance from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that the unbundling would not impact service conditions of employees. He also sought an assurance that interests of farmers and Dalits, covered under free power supply, would be fully protected. Kaypee pointed out that all sections of PSEB employees had threatened to go on a two-day strike against this move of the government. Nearly 24 organisations of farmers and landless labourers, mostly Dalits, had threatened a statewide agitation against this move. In light of this, the CM must make a statement, he demanded. — TNS