Patiala: Junior engineers' protest hits work

Patiala, December 16

The protest of Council of Junior Engineers, PSEB entered Day 51 here today. Routine work has been hit and common public continue to bear the brunt.

The protesters have threatened a state-level dharna on December 21. Employees of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) continued to boycott stores, metering labs, all types of field checks and have also kept their official mobile phones switched off as a mark of protest.

Meanwhile, their chain hunger fast, which started on November 17 in front of the PSPCL Headquarters at Patiala has also not ended.

Council of Junior Engineers, PSEB, president Paramjit Singh Khatra and general secretary Davinder Singh jointly said Power Junior Engineers were highly aggrieved over non-settlement of their main demand of enhancement in entry-level pay scale as they are drawing lesser initial pay of Rs 17,450 as compared to their other state counterparts who were granted entry pay of Rs 18,250 since December 2011.

“This discrimination is not tolerable as despite assurance by the PSPCL management nothing has been done to address the issue,” said Davinder Singh. “Power Junior Engineers have been holding protest rallies in front of various stores and metering labs of the PSPCL and will continue their mass casual leaves with a state-level dharna on December 21,” he said. — TNS