The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

PSEB Staff Strike From Midnight
Testing time for admn, board
Tribune Reporters

Back-up Plans in Place

Jalandhar

12 engineers from the Military Engineers Services and Railways roped in

A team of 30 officers, including some ex-engineers, has been constituted

Phagwara

Private technical experts from JCT mills, sugar mills, starch mills and other engineering organisations hired

Jalandhar, April 14
The district administration claims to be fully prepared to deal with the situation arising out of the two-day strike of employees of Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) from today midnight.

To confront any major power failure during the strike, the board authorities have roped in force of its retired officers and engineers from other departments.

While talking to The Tribune, Superintendent Engineer of Jalandhar Circle, N.K. Gandhi, who has been appointed as nodal officer to deal with any kind of power crisis during the strike, said the board roped in 12 engineers from the Military Engineers Services and Railways. He added employees, who are about to retire in coming days, would not go on strike.

“Approximately 70 employees of technical staff are about to retire in coming days. All these employees will not go on strike. Moreover, team of 30 officers, including some retired engineers, has been constituted. This team will deputed at the sub-stations to manage the transmission and distribution of power in the absence of technical staff,” added Gandhi.

However, it remains unclear that in the absence of technical staff, how the team of officers will deal with any major power failure, as it is expected that all 1,900 employees of the technical staff, along with 80 Junior Engineers of Jalandhar circle, working in grids and along high powered transmission lines, would go on strike.

It is pertinent to mention here that there are 21 sub-stations in Jalandhar circle, including two high power 220 kV and six 132 kV grids.

“Officers can only supervise and control the power distribution through grids. However, it will not be possible for them to back up any major failure, if occur, along transmission lines. Though chances of any major power tripping are grim, engineers alone will not be in able to correct such fault,” said Partap Singh Moni, Secretary, Technical Services Union, Punjab.

Phagwara: The administration, police and PSEB have made elaborate arrangements in order to provide normal power supply in view of the strike by board employees, starting from today midnight till April 16, against unbundling.

A high-level meeting of the high officials, presided over by SDM Amarjit Pal and attended by DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh and Sr XEN of PSEB Sanjeev Kumar, today decided to hire private technical experts from JCT mills, sugar mills, starch mills and other engineering organisations to maintain power supply during the strike period.

The policemen have been deployed at the power sub-stations to prevent any untoward incident during the PSEB strike. Meanwhile, the General Categories and Welfare Federation and municipal employees have also announced complete support to PSEB employees. Adequate security measures had also been taken in Phillaur and Nakodar.

Hoshiarpur: The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) authorities have made all necessary measures to make the supply of power undisrupted during the proposed strike by the PSEB employees beginning from the midnight today.

This was stated by the Superintending Engineer of the PSEB circle, Hoshiarpur, Jagmohan Singh, here. He said the technical staff had also been arranged to restart the power supply during any breakdown. He claimed that situation in the circle was quite normal. Arrangements had also been made to attend to the complaints.

The SSP, Rakesh Aggarwal, said the police force was deployed at all substations of the PSEB in the circle to avert any mishap during the strike. A flag march was staged by the police force before the grid stations and substations this afternoon.

He said peaceful agitation was the fundamental right of every person to express his views. But violence would not be tolerated during the strike at any cost.

Tributes paid to Ambedkar
Tribune Reporters

Jalandhar, April 14
The District Youth Congress (rural), Jalandhar, organised a seminar at the Guru Nanak Dev Library to commemorate the 119th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Baba Saheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar.

Satnam Singh Channa, Dr. KC Mohindru and Santokh Singh Chaudhary, former minister, Punjab, participated as speakers.

Paying rich tributes to the great social reformer, the speakers elaborated Dr. Ambedkar as a great revolutionary, scholar and a social reformer.

Santokh Singh Chaudhary apprised the youth of the ideology and the mission of Baba Saheb which was made the basis of all policies, whenever Congress came into power in Punjab, where the Dalit population is more than 30 per cent.

He said the implementation of the 85th amendment of the Reservation Act, to protect the rights of the scheduled castes, was also done during the Congress regime. A Rs 400 crore dedicated fund was secured, highlighting the landmark decision of the UPA Government.

Meanwhile, the members of the Bahujan Samaj Party (Ambedkar) lauded the role of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar in the uplift of poor on his 119th birth anniversary and stressed the need to unite against all major political parties, including the BSP.

Tilak Raj Thapar, district president of the BSP (A), condemned the BJP, Congress, SAD and other major parties alleging that they had been ignoring the Dalit community since long. He was heading a meeting of party workers here today.

The party members also criticised the Union Government for mentioning wrong date of birth of Dr Ambedkar on a hoarding displayed in Mumbai. Those who attended the meeting included Charanjit Walia, a senior worker, Ashok Kumar Dhogari, district vice president, Saudagar Mal, Hans Raj Waraich, Gian Chand and some others.

Phagwara: Ambedkar Jayanti was celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour in Phagwara, Nakodar and Phillaur today. Tributes were paid to Dr. Ambedkar by garlanding the statues of Dr. Ambedekar at Hargobind Nagar, Phagwara and Dr. Ambedkar Chowk in Phillaur and Nakodar. Peace rallies were also organised at these towns to mark Ambedkar Jayanti.

Hoshiarpur:Activists of the local Valmiki Ashram Sewa Society, under the leadership of their president Mohinder Pal (Capital), celebrated the 119th birth anniversary of Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar at the local Valmiki Ashram here today.

The activists of the society pledged to launch a special campaign for making the entire Balmik community intoxication-free. A committee of 11 members was constituted to launch the campaign. Rich tributes were paid to Dr Ambedkar, architect of the Indian Constitution, who fought throughout his life for the uplift of Dalits and downtrodden people of the society.

Baisakhi: Day of holy dips
Our Correspondents

Hoshiarpur, April 14
Baisakhi was celebrated with fervour here today. People thronged temples for paying obeisance and listening the name of new Vikrami year. A big fair was held at Dera Baba Charan Shah, Bahadurpur, where thousands of persons from all over the adjoining areas participated.

Phagwara: Baisakhi was celebrated with fervour in Phagwara, Phillaur and Nakodar today. Thousands of men and women devotees took holy dip in the Sutlej at Phillaur and in a sarovar of Gurdwara Sukhchain Sahib in Phagwara. Devotees thronged various temples and gurdwaras, including Hanuman Garrhi, Shri Geeta Mandir, Shri Lokesh Dham, Gurdwara Chhatti Patshai and Gurdwara Mao Sahib to pay obeisances.

Pathankot: Punjabi folk songs and a fusion of gidha and bhangra marked the Baisakhi celebration. Punjab Transport Minister Master Mohan Lal also took part in a function held at Gandhi Chowk on the occasion.

Akali henchmen ransack shop of Cong supporter
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 14
Several henchmen of a ruling party leader allegedly ransacked a sweetshop belonging to a Congress supporter in Mardi Kalan village in Majitha as he refused to close his shop on Baisakhi as per their ‘orders’.

The incident took place on Tuesday evening when armed persons attacked and ransacked the shop without any provocation said shop owner Bikram Singh. He alleged Akali leaders asked him to close the shop on Baisakhi as it might hamper the business of shops inside the premises of nearby gurdwara.

Bikram, who earlier used to run the shop in the gurdwara premises had to shift out due to alleged pressure from the ruling party leader to join their group, alleged Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli Majitha, District Congress Rural President.

While the police was yet to take any concrete action, Bikram said he could identify only three of them. They were Amandeep Singh, nephew of local Akali leader, Billu of Mardi Khurd and Pavitar Singh of Mardi Kalan, who were accompanied by more that a dozen persons armed with sharp-edged weapons.

Eyewitnesses Lakhwinder Singh Lakha and Mohan Singh alleged that the accused also attacked them.

Majitha said the police had not lodged an FIR against the accused due to alleged political patronage enjoyed by the attackers. He said if the police failed to arrest the accused, the Congress would agitate and gherao the former cabinet minister from the area and the responsibility of which would lie with the state government.

Yadwinder Singh, SHO Majitha police station, said they had recorded the statement of the victims. However, they had not named anyone in the FIR. He said further investigations were under progress.

Journalists bid farewell to Pannu
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 14
The journalistic fraternity bid farewell to the outgoing Deputy Commissioner Ajeet Singh Pannu at the Press Club here today. Club president R.N. Singh presented him a shawl and a memento. The function was attended by journalists from all the leading English and vernacular dailies of the region.

It was for the second time in 35 years that a DC was honoured in such a fashion.

Recalling his over three-year stay in Jalandhar, Pannu said of all his postings across the state, this was a very challenging yet enjoyable stint. He takes over as MD, Markfed tomorrow at Chandigarh.

6 kg heroin seized
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 14
Sleuths of the Custom Department have recovered 6 kg of heroin hidden in bundles of yoga mats, which were being couriered to Vancouver, Canada. The consignment, however, was detected while passing through X-ray machines, informed R.K. Duggal, Assistant Commissioner, here today.

He said the name and address of the company, through which the drugs were being couriered, were found to be bogus, while the credentials of the company where it was to be delivered was being investigated. The sleuths recovered six packets of 1 kg each from six bundles. The packets had been inserted after creating a special cavity in the bundles.