Engineers urge CM to protect power sector

Ludhiana, March 5

As many as 150 engineers participated in a zonal-level meeting of the PSEB Engineers’ Association here today.

The participants had gathered from Ludhiana, Khanna, Jagraon and Sahnewal. They criticised the PSPCL management and Punjab Government for “failing to protect the interest of citizens.”

Speakers, including Ajay Pal Singh Atwal, general secretary of the association, said the PSPCL had submitted a plan to hire only 2,632 employees but there were more than 20,000 vacancies in the power sector. They said 1,227 posts from the Punjab cadre were lying vacant in the Bhakra Beas Management Board, which was not only a financial loss but loss of employment opportunities.

JS Dhiman, president of the association, said the Punjab Government had decided to shut down the thermal plant at Bathinda and now, there were mulling closing down the thermal plant at Ropar, which was against the guidelines of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission. He warned that closing the Ropar thermal would be a technical and financial blunder.

Members appealed to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to intervene and protect the state power sector. They said if the PSPCL management failed to protect the interest of the power sector, the association would start a statewide agitation. — TNS