Power staff protest closure of Bathinda thermal plant

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service 

Patiala, March 15

Decrying the Congress government’s decision of shutting down the Bathinda thermal plant, several power employees under the banner of the PSEB Employees’ Joint Forum; Technical Services Union; Thermal Coordination Committee; and Powercom and Transco Union; observed a day-long strike in front of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) office here today. 

The employees gathered outside the PSPCL office with their family members and blocked the road leading from Fountain Chowk to the bus stand till the evening. They accused the state government of rendering contractual staff unemployed by shutting down the Bathinda thermal plant.

The employees termed the move anti-employee, anti-trade and against the interests of people.

The protesters demanded that contractual employees, who were expelled after the shutdown of the Bathinda thermal power plant, be given jobs.

They said the state government was shutting down state-run power plants just to help the private power plants in the state. The power employees said the PSPCL had not regularised those employees who had been working for more than 15 years. 

“Of the total sanctioned posts, only 36,000 have been filled. It is a major reason behind the workload of employees. The management should start recruiting new employees,” said union leaders. 

They threatened to intensify their protest if the government failed to resolve their demands. The strike was called off in the evening after a meeting was fixed between representatives of the protesting employees and the PSPCL Chairman on March 17 in Chandigarh. 

Members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union supported the strike and protested against the PSPCL. They said due to the insufficient power supply, farmers face a tough time while irrigating their crops.