Now, junior engineers launch protest against Power Corp
Umesh Dewan
Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 2
After engineers, now the Junior Engineers (JE) and Additional Assistant Engineers (AAE) have started protests against Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). On the call given by the Council of Junior Engineers, Punjab State Electricity Board(PSEB), a massive protest demonstration was held outside PSPCL headquarters, here today.

The council members also sat on dharna in various parts of the state, including Sangrur, Muktsar, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Mohali, Ropar, Khanna, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala.

Addressing the protestors, the Zonal president of the ccuncil, Ashok Kumar, said inordinate delay in finalising the tripartite agreement, protecting service conditions, employment, terminal benefits and other benefits of the employees was uncalled for.

The general secretary of the council, Davinder Singh, while addressing the council members said Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at a meeting held with the council on April 17, had assured that tripartite agreement would be executed with the parties concerned within 10 days.“But, the same could not be finalised even after six months. This has led to large-scale resentment among the employees of the Power Corporation”, he added.

The council president, Swarn Lal said it was also assured to the council that issues, including that of pay revision and allowances would be settled within one month of unbundling of PSEB, but the issues were still pending before the state government and PSPCL.

“Managements of both power utilities created after bifurcation of PSEB are not serious to concede to the demands of the employees”,he alleged, while announcing that their council would observe a two-day strike on November 10 and 11 in protest against the casual attitude of the government towards their genuine demands.