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PSEB Engineers to stage protest march
PSEB engineers are agitated over the state government's policy of recruitment of engineers on contract, state's failure to execute at least one power project in public sector and non-fullfilment of assurances given at time of unbundling of PSEB.
CJ: V K Gupta

Sat, May 21, 2011 17:

PSEB ENGINEER'S Association has decided to stage a protest march in different zones next month against state government/ PSPCL’s failure to resolve pending issues.

HS Bedi President of Association said that the Association has served an agitation notice to the state government and the managements of PSPCL and PSTCL conveying their decision to hold zonal protest marches on June 2 at Bathinda on June 14 at Jalandhar and on June 28 at Patiala. After the march, the engineers will hand over a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner.

Bedi alleged that the state government had failed to implement the tripartite agreement, which was signed between Punjab government, management of Power companies and various trade unions/association at the time of unbundling of the erstwhile PSEB. Now, the government has decided to recruit engineers on three years contract basis and the association has been opposing this.

The government has failed to bring at least one thermal plant in state sector despite assurances given by political leaders. All the new thermal plants have been given to private sector parties. Gidderwaha has been given to NTPC. With the commissioning of all the future thermal projects under the private/central sector, the state’s share in the generation capacity would come to 15 per cent from the present share of 50 percent. This would jeopardize the state’s control on generation schedules, Bedi said.

The cash-starved PSPCL/PSTCL is using employees' GPF, and other deductions from salary are being used by the companies instead of being credited to employees accounts.