Power engineers object to poll duty

Patiala, June 2

In an open letter to the Punjab Chief Secretary, the PSEB Engineers Association, the largest body of power engineers in the state, has raised the issue of putting them on election-related duty despite clear directions in this regard. The letter comes after power officials were put on election duty, following which many power-related snags took a long time to be rectified.

In the letter, the association’s general secretary Ajay Pal Singh Atwal states: “The EC and the Punjab Government have acknowledged the importance of the power sector as an essential service for ensuring reliable power supply during the election process. Multiple communications were sent by the EC and ACS Power, but these unfortunately fell on deaf ears. Both corporations are grappling with severe staff shortages, operating with only 40 per cent of the sanctioned workforce.”

The letter further states that the district administration officials concerned blatantly ignored the gravity of the situation and deputed a large number of PSPCL/PSTCL technical staff and officers on election duties and non-department/general administration duties, etc. “The association has brought this issue to your attention multiple times and through various channels, emphasising that such interference in the operations of power corporations, already strained by severe staff shortages, would be disastrous,” it further states.

The letter raises the issue of power pangs and states that presently the demand has crossed 14,000 MW and is expected to cross 16,000 MW in the coming days. “With regret, it must be admitted that due to the indifferent attitude of the district authorities, we may have reached a breaking point, potentially leading to widespread disruptions in the electricity supply in the state. The association demands that action may be initiated against the authorities for blatant violation of the instructions of the EC/state government that in future PSPCL/PSTCL technical employees should not be put on any extra non-department duties as they are handling the most important essential service,” it concludes.