Thermal plant staff likely to remain divided

Sameer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 17

Thermal power plant employees and their family members believe that political parties failed to provide any concrete solution to revive Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP) during their election campaign.

They are likely to remain divided without being tilted toward a single political party in the Lok Sabha elections.

Notably, there were plans to make one of the four thermal units operational by converting it into a biomass plant (with straw) by the state government.

The GNDTP had always been synonymous with Bathinda and found immense resonance with the residents. Apart from cheap power generation, the thermal plant that was made operational back in 1970s had opened employment avenues for thousands of people since then. But interestingly, none of the political parties suggested a viable solution to make the plant operational again.

A retired thermal power plant employee, who is also a representative of the GNDTP Employees’ Union, requesting anonymity, said, “The votes of thermal power plant employees, who have been adjusted in other units now, retired employees and their family members would be divided regarding their choice in the Lok Sabha elections. Since none of the candidates from all political party has suggested any concrete plan or blueprint to revive the thermal plant, a majority of the voters are not likely to cast their votes for any major political party.”

“Voters’ contention is that while the Congress government has been talking about resuming operations in one of the four units at the thermal plant for a long time, other parties have simply taken potshots at it for the closure of the plant without recommending a solution to its revival. Despite being a sizeable voter share and potential to alter the poll results on the Bathinda seat, none of the political parties made serious efforts to woo the thermal power plant voters. As voters (thermal power plant employees and retired staff) are miffed with two major traditional political parties, which have led to the closure of the plant, a third front is most likely to get an advantage in terms of garnering the maximum number of votes,” he added.

In a recent video, SAD candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal had said state government was all set to dismantle the thermal power plant’s building after the Lok Sabha elections. However, Congress leaders said efforts were on to make one of the units operational soon.

Gursewak Singh, president of GNDTP Employees’ Federation, said, “We met the Chief Minister in Sardulgarh on May 8. After giving us assurance to resume one of the units at the thermal plant, he asked us to meet Principal Chief Secretary (PCS) Suresh Kumar. We also held meeting with the PCS, who has assured us that a joint meeting with top officials of the Powercom department and the union would be held to discuss the feasibility of the project soon.”