PSEB engineers to agitate from November 17
Vinod Kumar Gupta
Tuesday, 08 November 2011

PATIALA: PSEB Engineers Association has served a ten day notice on the management to start agitation from November 17 due to non-implementation of decisions taken during meeting with Chief Minister.

Bhupinder Singh General Secretary of association said that engineers of both the power companies will stage "two hour walk out" on November 17to be followed by work to rule from November21 to 26. The “State Level DHARNA" will be held at Patiala on 22nd Nov. In case all pending issues are not settled, all power engineers will proceed on "One Day MASS CASUAL LEAVE on November 30.

The association has alleged that while giving in- principle approval to setting up thermal project under state sector by CM , it was assured that formal letter of approval will be issued by the state government to PSPCL very shortly. PSPCL management took decision to set up 1320 MW thermal project under state sector and sought Punjab Governments approval in April 2011. The formal approval is awaited for the last more than 7 months and now despite CM's nod for the project; no action is being taken to accord formal written approval on the request of PSPCL. On the other hand the proposals of private investors for setting up thermal projects are dealt with supersonic speed both in power secretariat as well as in the PSPCL.
Regarding grant promotional scales, it was promised by CMD/PSPCL that necessary notification will be issued by October 31. It was also assured that employees provident fund trust will be operationalised by October 28 by putting in initial amount of Rs. 250 crore. in the fund. However no action has been taken on both demands.

Similarly no decision on other issues which were promised to be settled including revision of generation incentive, revision of local outdoor duty allowance, transfer of 66 KV system to PSPCL, recruitment of assistant engineers, have been taken so far.