Power employees burn effigies of managements, state government in Ludhiana

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, August 6

Employees of the two power companies — Punjab State Power Corporation Limited and the Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited — here today held a rally and burnt effigy of the managements and the state government in protest against the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020, and proposal to sell land of the Bathinda Thermal Plant and press for other pending demands. The rally was organised jointly by the Technical Services Union and the Powercom/Transcom Contract Employees Union.

Addressing the protesters, trade union leaders condemned the decisions to close down public sector thermal plants, vindictive action and dismissal of trade union activists, registration of false cases against CHB/contract employees and freezing wages and allowances of the employees.

They alleged that it was unfortunate that when the entire nation was fighting a battle against Covid-19, the Centre and the state government were taking anti-people and anti-employee decisions.

Speakers at the rally cautioned that the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020, was in fact an instrument for privatisation of power distribution which would eventually lead to end of subsidies, costly power for the poor and cheap power for bulk consumers (big business and industry). They outrightly rejected the proposal for sale of land of the Bathinda Thermal Plant which was another attempt towards permanent closure of public sector power plants and promotion of private players in this sector.

Serving an ultimatum to the PSPCL/PSTCL managements and the state government, the trade union leaders said if their pending demands were not conceded immediately, they would intensify their struggle and keep fighting till justice was dispensed.

Among those who addressed the rally were TSU president Jarnail Singh, secretary Sukhvir Singh, Sukhchain Singh, Rajesh Kumar, Sukhpal Singh and Nand Lal.

‘Centre, state taking anti-people decisions’

Employees of the PSPCL and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited held a rally and burnt effigies of the managements and the state government in protest against the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020, and proposal to sell land of the Bathinda Thermal Plant and press for other demands. They alleged that it was unfortunate that when the entire nation was fighting a battle against Covid-19, the Centre and the state government were taking anti-people and anti-employee decisions.