HPSEB staff protest cut in pay scales

Our Correspondent 

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NURPUR, AUGUST 26

Protesting the reduction of pay scales of 48 categories of employees, the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Ltd (HPSEBL)  staff held a demonstration and staged a dharna in front of the office of the Executive Engineer, electrical division, here yesterday. 

Led by Hira Lal Verma, state general secretary and Pawan Mohal, state senior vice-president of the union, a large number of employees from Nurpur, Jawali, Fatehpur and 220 kv substation Bodh units assembled here. 

Addressing agitating board employees, Verma said 2,200 employees of different categories, 

drawing  scales since 1978, had a sudden setback when the management had decided to reduce their pay scales in October 2013. 

“The board management will also make recoveries from these employees,” he said. 

Verma said  Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, in the 15th general conference of the union held in May last year, had also directed the management to restore their  pay scales but the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) had failed to abide by the Chief Minister order. 

He said the union would hold a massive demonstration in Shimla on September 5. 

Preparations on for Kullu Dasehra 

• The district administration has started preparations for the week-long International Dasehra festival, which will begin from September 30
• Speaking to The Tribune, DC Yunus Khan said the festival would focus on spreading the message of drug eradication and promotion of rural sports
• The Deputy Commissioner had convened a meeting with the officials concerned to discuss the arrangements for the festival. “The festival aims at preserving culture and tradition of the region. Proper arrangement will be made to ensure success of the event,” he said
• Each year deities converge on the historical Dhalpur Ground at the beginning of the festival to pay  obeisance to Lord Raghunath, chief deity of Kullu
• The DC stated that families of martyrs would also be honoured during the Dasehra festivities
• The annual Dasehra festival also gives a boost to the tourism industry in the region. Several domestic and foreign tourists arrive in Kullu festival to have a glimpse of the popular festival.Dipender Manta, Kullu