Don't shift extra high voltage lines: HPSEB

Shimla, September 7

The HP State Electricity Board Employees Union in a letter has urged Chief Secretary RD Dhiman to halt the move to transfer various 132 KV extra high voltage (EHV) lines from the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) to the Himachal Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation Limited (HPPTCL). The union’s secretary HL Verma said, “The move is in violation of the agreement signed between HPSEBL Employees and Engineers Association and the government.”

In a letter submitted to the Chief Secretary, the union contended that under the ‘HPSEBL Transfer Scheme 2010’, the interstate EHV Lines already stand transferred to the HPPTCL, and the intrastate EHV system, which was retained with HPSEBL, is a part of its distribution network.

The union further added that as per the agreement, any changes regarding the transfer of EHV lines would be made only with due consultation with the joint front of employees and engineers of the HPSEBL. “This move is in contravention of the bipartite agreement and will have adverse effects on the service conditions of HPSEBL employees,” said Verma, adding that strong resentment was prevailing among the employees over the proposed move.