Power engineers seek regular MD at HPSEBL

shimla, December 19

The Himachal Power Engineers Association has urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to appoint a regular Managing Director (MD) at Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL).

Healthy competition not possible

The HPSEBL was grappling with a shortage of meters, transformers, field staff and financial problems but the board management was not taking any concrete steps to address the issues. HPSEBL and HPPCL are supposed to have a healthy competition, but it is not possible when one official is heading both. Lokesh Thakur, President, Engineers Association

The association has pointed out that one bureaucrat is heading three key departments in the power sector, namely the HPSEBL, Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) and the Directorate of Energy. It has said that the arrangement had led to procrastination of several important decisions. The association has urged the government to appoint a senior engineer as the MD and not a bureaucrat.

The HPSEBL Employees Union, too, has demanded the appointment of a regular MD. It alleges that the functioning of the HPSEBL has been affected in the absence of a regular MD in the past eight months. On the retirement of its MD in April, the additional charge of the HPSEBL was given to HPPCL MD.

Lokesh Thakur, president of the engineers, said decision on other major issues were also pending due to other responsibilities.