Punjab Powercom in tight situation: staff protesting; PSEBEA demands engineers’ safety for ensuring continuous supply
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in / September 4,2024
Today, the PSEB Engineers’ Association (PSEBEA) has issued Guidelines for its Members for Ensuring Supply Continuity & Engineers Safety during the ongoing protest by unions, associations of the powercom.
The engineers association has also appealed the chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann that PSEB Engineers’ Association supports the genuine demands of employees regarding Edge in pay vis-a-vis the Punjab Government, Timebound Scales, Payment of DA/arrears, etc and to resolve these issues at the earliest.”
The president of the PSEBEA , Jasvir Singh Dhiman said “The power sector is a critical cornerstone of the State’s infrastructure, playing a pivotal role in driving economic growth and enhancing the State’s GDP. The manpower serving in this sector is a “major asset,” responsible for managing this crucial backbone of the State, and therefore, must be treated with the utmost care.”
Ajaypal Singh Atwal, general secretary of PSEBEA said “The current widespread resentment across nearly every cadre of PSPCL/ PSTCL is a direct result of the mishandling of legitimate issues by the management and the Punjab Government, such as delays in addressing critical shortage of manpower, pay scale arrears, TBPS, DA, Implementation of OPS, other discrepancies in Pay scales, and decisions affecting employee welfare.Most unions and associations are now on mass casual leave or working to rule. The safety of power infrastructure is our highest priority but the genuine demands of employees deserve a timely resolution.”
Atwal added that “ During this challenging time PSEB Engineers’ Association members have been performing critical duties at various grid substations, generation, distribution to prevent power blackouts in the State. To prevent any inconvenience to the public and to enable engineers to perform their duties safely, the following guidelines are issued for immediate implementation and compliance by all Association members statewide:
- To avoid any accident Engineers will not operate breakers/ GO switches and other such equipment.
- Engineers will not perform any duty of the subordinate cadres.
- Engineers will not perform continuous duty beyond 8 Hrs. After that, they will leave the substation as per instructions issued by PSEBEA.
- After a Shift Duty of 8 Hrs, if a reliever does not reach the sub-station, then the engineer on duty will convey notice to the respective CONTROL ROOM that “Reliever has not reported at ________________Sub Station, alternate reliever may please be arranged”.
- If the reliever does not reach even after 2 hrs notice, then the engineer on duty will leave the station at risk and cost of management.
- A minimum of 2 persons will perform duty in a particular shift at a substation. Other cadre officers/ officials can also be deputed at substations in addition to technical staff to assist Engineers.
Punjab Powercom in tight situation: staff protesting; PSEBEA demands engineers’ safety for ensuring continuous supply. PSEBEA issues instructions for circulation among all association members:
All executive members and regional secretaries to ensure compliance of the above guidelines in their respective regions. Respective executive members/ regional secretary will meet competent authority to ensure:
- Minimum 2 persons are to be deputed in a particular shift at a substation and Engineers are deputed to the nearest place of Headquarter or Home Town and ensure that engineers already deputed at far away stations be reshuffled to the nearest place of their HQ by the competent authority.
- To ensure that other cadre officers/ officials have also been deputed by the competent authority, at substations in addition to technical staff to assist Engineers.
- Keeping in view the law and order situation, competent authority takes the help of Police authorities to provide security at all Substations for safeguarding men and material.
- Proper arrangements for food, hospitality & stay shall be ensured through the respective SEs/CEs PM and DS.
- To ensure compliance of guideline no. 3, duty roasters has been prepared by the competent authority.
- Activities which are not of an emergency nature and can be postponed like official review meetings/ checkings/ defaulting drives must be stopped to allow engineers to focus on the critical task of ensuring continuity of supply.
- In case of any health or family issue engineers must be relieved immediately without any delay. In case of health issues, immediate medical assistance will be provided to the engineer by the region.
- Female Engineers shall only perform duty in case of emergency and only on the day shift and with security.
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