Power engineers raised the question on the credibility issue of its management
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
In a Zonal level meeting held at Ropar, PSEB Engineers’ Association criticised PSPCL management and Punjab Government for going against the interest of the common people of Punjab and not being able to safeguard the interest of the power sector. The wrong decisions being taken by the management will dearly cost the consumers of Punjab in the form of higher electricity tariffs and unreliable power supply. The issue of power sector land grab worth 4000 cr was raised where land worth crores is being transferred to private players at Rs 1. Engineers criticised the management that instead of hiring regular staff it is bent upon reducing the already miniscule manpower, this will have a direct impact on the services and revenue of the PSPCL. Engineers from Ropar, Anandpur Sahib, Nangal, Kharar participated in this Meeting.
Er JS Dhiman, President of the Association informed that PSPCL is already under a debt of 15000 Cr but there is a move by the PSPCL management to hand over GNDTP Bathinda and Ropar Power colony land for free. Alleging that a big land grabbing is going on in the power sector, Er. Dhiman cautioned PSPCL engineers to remain vigilant. He further informed that the burden of this land grab will be borne by people of Punjab as higher tariff. Instead of reinvesting in the power sector, the expensive assets of PSPCL are being sacrificed by Management.
Er Padamjit Singh Chief Patron AIPEF informed that the Punjab Government in their own wisdom decided to close down the running thermal plant at Bathinda with plenty of useful life still remaining, now there is a move to close down the thermal plant at Ropar. He warned that closing the Ropar thermal would be a technical blunder and Punjab will not be able to meet its power demand during summer season. Moreover the proposals of the power sector experts to establish additional Solar Plants at Bathinda and Ropar are being ignored by the Government. These proposals would help provide cheaper renewable electricity to the consumers of the State and would help in reducing the cost of electricity.
Er Dhiman informed that there is acute shortage of staff in PSPCL, which in turn is not only denying employment opportunities to the youth of the State but is affecting the services of PSPCL. Further, the management in the name of restructuring, is eliminating essential but vacant posts. Due to inaction of PSPCL management 1227 posts from Punjab cadre are lying vacant in BBMB. This is a direct loss to Punjab not only in terms of finances but employment opportunities to the youth of the State as well. PSPCL management is paying more than 250 Cr per annum for the salaries and employee expenses of these posts to BBMB. Management is creating conditions where services to the consumers and thus the image of Punjab Government is taking a hit.
Members condemned the delay in granting pay scale of Rs. 18030 to AE’s, decision of stoppage of Generation Incentive and decreasing the contribution of NPS from 14% to 10%. Terming it as violation of TPA members demanded immediate reversal of these. PSPCL Management has adopted an anti-engineer stance and has started issuing excessive charge sheets and letters of advice to DS engineers on flimsy grounds, irregular and delayed promotions even when sensitive posts are lying vacant lying vacant, denying vehicles to civil engineers, denial of IT facilities/ computers and at the same time deliberately pressurising engineers for arbitrary informations and the most recent decision of giving an extension of only 1 year to 4 no SE and 3 no
XEN rank officers on extremely arbitrary grounds. All present engineers condemned the anti-engineer actions of Management
It was warned that if PSPCL management fails to protect the interest of the power sector then the Association will be forced to start a Statewide agitation.
Members appealed to CM to intervene and got these decisions reversed.
February 25,2021
