PSPCL installed poles on our land sans consent: Dalit family

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, July 16

A Dalit family from Dinanagar has complained to the Punjab State Scheduled Caste Commission that the authorities of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) have installed poles in the tract of agriculture land owned by them.

They charged that the PSPCL had also installed a 11-KV wire through their fields to give power supply to a private plywood manufacturing unit which was being set up nearby.

Sunil Dutt, a Dinanagar-based human rights activist, has petitioned the SC commission in this regard. The land is owned by Kishen Chand and his brother Davinder Dass. They have been tilling it since 2007.

The brothers said on June 13 they got to know that PSPCL officials, including the SDO, Pandori Kalan, were all set to install poles and wire on their land following which they approached the SDO.

“The SDO assured us that there was no plan to install poles. He said he would follow rules and accordingly would set up poles alongside the road leading to the plywood factory. 

However, next day a team of PSPCL officials went ahead and installed  poles in our fields, which is in gross violation of rules. We informed the SDO, but to no avail. So we decided to move the SC commission,” said Kishen Chand.

However, proprietor of the plywood factory Amanveer Singh said when he approached the PSPCL officials to get a power connection, he was given an estimate following which he deposited the requisite amount.

“It is for the PSPCL to see the route from where to give me power supply. How can I be blamed,” he said. Executive Engineer Jaswinder Pal said he would look into the matter.