Himachal Pradesh power employees warn of massive protest

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Employees, Engineers, and Pensioners today said that it would launch a massive protest in Shimla on August 7 if the HPSEBL management did not withdraw the chargesheet against its convener Lokesh Thakur and co-convener Hira Lal Verma. The HPSEBL management has issued orders to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the two for major penalty for “issuing press statement against HPSEBL management and the government” and “leaving Shimla without station leave”.

Calling the order an attempt to gag the employees and an attack on the democratic rights of the registered unions, KD Sharma, president of the HPSEBL Employee Union, said thousands of employees, engineers, pensioners and outsourced employees would hit the street on August 7 if the chargesheet against Thakur and Verma was not withdrawn and their right to protest at the workplace was not restored.

The JAC also reiterated the allegations they have made in the past against the board management. The JAC office-bearers alleged that a couple of officials had sidelined everyone and were running the board as per their whims and fancies. Also, Sharma further alleged that the payments in the board were being made in pick and choose basis. HPSEBL MD Sandeep Kumar, when contacted, refused to comment.