FM skips event as thermal staff protest

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 20

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal today had to skip a function at Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School as employees of the Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant blocked both gates of the school. They were staging a protest against the state government’s decision to shut down the city’s thermal plant and two units of the Ropar thermal plant.

The Finance Minister was scheduled to attend the annual function of Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School as the chief guest. As the employees came to know about the minister’s visit, they announced to gherao Manpreet on his arrive at the function.

Calling upon members of other organisations and societies to join their protest, members of the GNDTP Employees’ Federation reached the main gate of the school, located opposite the Multipurpose Sports Stadium, and started their protest.

Holding black flags, they raised anti-government slogans and demanded that the state government must resume the functioning of the thermal plant.

Addressing the gathering, Gursewak Singh, union leader, said, “The minister says the thermal is more than 20 years old and it is proving to be a financial liability for the government and its coffers. He has several old vehicles parked at his house in Badal village. Why doesn’t he sell them off?”

The protesters also questioned the state government’s claim that “the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has mandated the closure of all thermal plants which have been functioning for more than 25 years now”.

“The CEC guidelines are pertaining to the plants up to 100 MW capacity and non-reheat units. The GNDTP has more than 100 MW capacity and has a reheat cycle. It should not have been closed,” they added.

Meanwhile, after getting to know that the regular employees were protesting outside the main gate of the school, the contractual employees, who have been sitting on an indefinite strike in front of the District Administrative Complex, also reached the school and sat in front of the second gate.

Addressing the contractual employees, Rajinder Singh Dhillon said, “The fact is that the minister is not ready to face our questions over the government’s decision. If their facts are correct, why are they hiding their faces?”