Akalis hold protest in Ludhiana against PSPCL over deteriorating power situation

Holding placards saying “Guru Dokhi Sarkar Murdabad” in their hands in protest against frequent power cuts being imposed on the industry and domestic users in the state, Shiromani Akali Dal leaders today held an agitation against the state government, PSPCL and Power Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond outside the DC office here.

While targeting the Power Minister and the state government for the mismanagement, the Akali leaders condemned the removal of Basant Garg as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) on September 14.

The protest was held under the leadership of Paropkar Singh Ghuman and Hira Singh Gabria, who later submitted a memorandum to the district administration for removal of the minister from the Cabinet and or making the CMD the “scapegoat” with regard to the power cuts.

Ghuman said that Sond was directly responsible for the entire mess. He said that the state might have removed the CMD, but the person responsible for power supply and its maintenance was minister Sond, who was shedding his responsibility. The act and conduct of the minister is highly depreciable as the CMD has been targeted for no reason, they added.

The protesters maintained that power was the fundamental right of every citizen and was governed by Article 21 of the Constitution. The Shiromani Akali Dal (West) demanded immediate removal of the minister from the Cabinet and said an inquiry should be started against him. The protesters later burnt the effigy of the PSPCL on the occasion.

The Shiromani Akali Dal has launched a series of dharnas against electricity cuts being imposed and unjustified bills. Meanwhile, the Ludhiana East protest was organised at Kakowal Road power plant, which was led by party leader Ranjit Singh Dhillon.