PSEB junior engineers to intensify agitation

Tribune News Service

Patiala, December 11

The Council of Junior Engineers, PSEB, has decided to intensify its ongoing agitation from December 12 onwards, whereby power junior engineers across the PSPCL and the PSTCL will observe boycott of stores, metering labs, defaulting amount collection, power theft checking and cross checking of meter- reading work. It was informed to the media by Davinder Singh, general secretary of the council.

Meanwhile, Paramjit Singh Khattra and Davinder Singh, president and general secretary, respectively, of the council, said the boycott call would commence with the holding of protest rallies in front of all central stores and sub-stores of the PSPCL on December 12 from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm and thereafter, a complete bycott would be observed till December 18.

They said the present power management was insensitive towards the pending demands of junior engineers, which include enhancement in the initial pay from Rs 17,450 to Rs 19,770 as even the Punjab Government JEs are drawing an initial pay of Rs 18, 250. On the other hand promotion process from JEs to AAEs (JE-1) had been withheld arbitratory because the PSPCL and PSTCL authorities had failed to resolve the employees’ placement issues. As a result, promotions have been blocked for many cadres, including JEs.

Power junior engineers are also experiencing much field difficulties due to non-settlement of their field dues. Even minor problems relating to updation of estimates and return of material in the online systems are not being addressed.

The council also said the widespread resentment was prevailing in the cadre of junior engineers due to the non-settlement of their pending demands and in case the management failed to settle the pending demands of the engineers, the council would be compelled to intensify its agitation after the boycott call ending on December 18.