Power supply remains hit in Tarn Taran as Powercom employees’ protest continues

Normal power supply was disrupted in all parts of the district for the last two days with employees of the Powercom going on mass casual leave. There were reports that there was no employee available to restore the disrupted power supply despite complaints from the residents. Besides Tarn Taran, power supply was disrupted in Patti, Khalra, Valtoha, Khemkaran, Khadoor Sahib, Harike and other places. Mohtam Singh, Deputy Chief Engineer of the local Powercom circle, said that he had received information that there was power disruption in the feeder of Patti city, Bath, Varpal and Jawanda.

Gurpreet Singh Gandiwind and Gurbhej Singh Dhillon were among the other state leaders of the agitating organisations who addressed the meeting. The employee leaders said that they have been stressing on giving jobs on compassionate ground to families that have lost their bread-winners while on duty for the department. The leaders also stressed on their other demands, including the removal of anomalies in the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission report.

Deputy Chief Engineer of Powercom, Tarn Taran circle, Mohtam Singh stated that 784 technical as well as clerical employees are posted in the circle for distribution work out of which 78.92 per cent have gone on strike. To face this challenge of catering to the supply from various 220 KV/132KV and 66KV substations, all officers of different ranks like AAE/AE/AEE, Senior XEN and Additional SEs have been posted at substations along with officers of P&M company.

He said that at least two officers along with an assistant are being ensured at the substations, and are performing 12-hour duty in two shifts. Although it is a challenge to cater to 4,00,000 consumers of various categories, the left out staff is working continuously and succeeded in supplying uninterrupted power to the consumers of Tarn Taran district. A control room has been established to monitor supply at the circle and zonal levels which are functioning round the clock. He said that officials on duty have shown their capability in this tough time.