Secy power request to Punjab DGP: discontinue the practice of registering FIRs against PSPCL/PSTCL officers

Secy power request to Punjab DGP: discontinue the practice of registering FIRs against PSPCL/PSTCL officers

Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ October 25,2024

Rahul Tewari, IAS, secretary power , CMD Punjab state power corporation limited (PSTCL) has written a DO letter to director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, IPS on October 23,2024 to “issue appropriate standing instructions to concerned police authorities to discontinue the practice of registering FIRs by name against Engineer , Officers/ Technical Officials of PSPCL and PSTCL in case of fatal/ non-fatal accidents occurring on Generation, Transmission and Distribution infrastructure without getting a proper enquiry conducted from the Power department. Your personal intervention is solicited on the issue.”

Tewari said “PSPCL and PSTCL are state undertakings responsible for ensuring uninterrupted power supply to approximately 1.07 crore consumers of Punjab and operating critical generation, distribution and transmission systems. Engineers and technical field staff of the two utilities work round the clock, 24X7 even in shifts to provide essential service to the state. PSTCL undertakes construction and O&M of EHV transmission system consisting of 400 KV, 220 KV and 132 KV lines and sub-stations. The electrical distribution system of PSPCL comprises of 11KV feeders, 66 KV lines, Sub-Stations and LD system that covers whole of the State.”

It has been given to understand by various employee unions that in case of Fatal/ Non-Fatal accidents occurring on PSPCL/PSTCL infrastructure, the officers/ officials have been named in FIRs without any proper preliminary inquiry/ investigation in contravention of the provisions under various laws and Acts. This implication is creating fear among the officers / officials impeding their morale and diminishing initiative. It is pertinent to mention here that despite taking due care and safety protocols while carrying out various operation and maintenance activities, the probability of an unfortunate accident cannot be entirely ruled out” added Tewari.

As per provisions of Electricity Act 2003 & other related sections of dealing with registration of FIR against the Officers / Officials of public undertaking acting in good faith while discharging Officially designed duties”

Indian Electricity Act, 2003 Clause 168 (protection of action taken in good faith) states that no suit, prosecution, or other proceeding can be brought against the following people for anything done in good faith under the Act or the rules and regulations made there under.

The erstwhile code of criminal procedure 1973 Section 197-it is necessary to take the approval of the competent authority to prosecute a criminal case under any govt official/ employee/ public servant.

Secy power request to Punjab DGP: discontinue the practice of registering FIRs against PSPCL/PSTCL officers. It is pertinent to mention here that throughout Punjab, it has become rather unfortunate trend to register FIRs against officers/ officials of PSTCL/PSTCL, whenever any mishap on generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure occurs. It demoralizes the officers/ officials impeding the discharge of their normal duties of maintaining an essential service of ensuring quality/ uninterrupted power to the people of state.