BBMB employees seek 300 units of free power

The BBMB employees union has demanded 300 units of free electricity for all board employees. The demand was made at a meeting of the union representatives with the BBMB management recently. BBMB Chairman Manoj Tripathi also attended that meeting.

Union leaders said the employees of the board recruited after 2011 were not getting any free power, while the remaining employees were getting 155 units every month for free. As per the state government policy, all consumers were entitled to 300 units of free power every month, they added.

Sources said earlier all BBMB employees used to get 250 units of free power every month. However, the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL), later, stopped free power to all those recruited after 2011. Later, the free power units allowed to those appointed before 2011 were also reduced from 250 to 155 units per month.

BBMB employee union leader Satnam Singh alleged the current rules had created two categories of employees in the board. Those recruited before 2011 are getting 155 units of free power, while others are not getting any free power.

A senior official of the BBMB said in case of power consumers of the PSPCL, the state government was compensating it for the free power facility. However, there was no provision to compensate the power utility for providing free power to the BBMB employees.

The traders running businesses from leased properties of the BBMB and the Bhakra Dam oustees were also demanding 300 units of free power.