PSEBA raises concern about staff shortage in Powercom as PSPCL engineers are working an extra mile with less manpower
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ June 24,2023
PSEB Engineers Association has raised concern about the acute staff shortage in PSPCL particularly in the thermal plants in the state sector.
The Association in a letter to PSPCL management states that state thermal plants are critical for the energy security of the state and are required to be run at full capacity during the summer season. To ensure safe operations and avoid hampering power generation , sufficient qualified technical staff be posted to avoid any possible mishap.
Ajay Pal Singh Atwal, General Secretary said that the power demand in the state has gone northward and crossed 15000 MW and engineers are successfully running state thermal units despite critical staff shortage. To avoid any mishap at thermal units due to extreme staff shortage , it is necessary to post back thermal employees who have gone outside at the earliest
Trained staff has been shifted out of thermal units to other cadres leading to loss of technical expertise. This has led to risky operations , delayed synchronisation of units and delayed maintenance activities. Without bothering about the problems being faced by engineers, the management is taking disciplinary action against them. The Engineers have cautioned the PSPCL management that in case of any mishap at thermal plants due to staff shortage the engineers should not be held responsible.
Another engineer said that in field staff to meet consumer complaints is minimal despite the number of consumer connections having increased manifold . The number of complaints these days have increased abnormally . A junior engineer with a skeleton staff of three to four employees is supposed to manage 15 feeders, over 6000 domestic and commercial consumers . Over and above this every consumer wants his fault attended on priority basis and this is practically near impossible.
PSEBA raises concern about staff shortage in Powercom as PSPCL engineers are working an extra mile with less manpower and demanded “recruitment process for engineers and subordinate staff will be started immediately”.
