Jalandhar, April 15
The first-day protest by various employee unions of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) ended peacefully with no untoward incident reported in the region.

The employees were on a state-level protest against the government’s move to unbundle the board.

Though residents got uninterrupted power supply (with scheduled power cuts), yet faults which were reported in certain power lines at various locations could not be repaired.

The district police had made elaborated security arrangements to avoid any sabotage to the electricity installations in the city and its vicinity.

While the Police Commissionerate had deployed additional police force in the city, the SSP (Rural) had deputed cops in and around the power grids and substations.

Special patrol parties guarded the high-tension overhead power cables. Besides, riot-control vehicles had also been pressed into service at various sensitive places, he added.

A riot-control vehicle was stationed at the main gate of Shakti Sadan. Interestingly, there was no police force at the main power grid at Chuggitti Chowk, while four cops were guarding the BBMB power grid.

Meanwhile, members of various unions today staged dharnas and held rallies at various places. Joining hand with the board employees on strike, members of the Pendu Mazdoor Union, Punjab, held processions in villages.

Kapurthala: The employees of the PSEB carried out a protest march, which passed through different bazaars.

Kapurthala circle PSEB SE Ishwar Singh claimed that the strike did not affect the power supply in Kapurthala circle.

Hoshiarpur: The town and its surrounding areas received normal power supply today.

All PSEB offices presented a deserted look. However, police contingents deployed in the offices were seen protecting property of the PSEB and to meet any eventuality.

Superintending Engineer of the PSEB Circle, Hoshiarpur, Jagmohan Singh said 90 per cent of the staff was on strike. The power was supplied as usual. Only two power cuts from 10 am to 12 noon and from 2 pm to 4 pm were imposed during day hours. No untoward incident was reported from any corner of the circle. Employees staged a rally in front of the office of the Executive Engineer of the PSEB division, Hoshiarpur.

Gurdaspur: The situation remained peaceful in this town.

Apart from the scheduled power cuts, there were no reports from any part of the district of power interruption.

Superintending Engineer R.N. Sharma said although 75 per cent employees struck work, power supply was not affected. He said there were 40 substations under Gurdaspur Circle and work went on smoothly in all of them. Cash counters scattered at various places in the town also worked smoothly, Sharma added.

Meanwhile, PSEB Karamchari Dal president Rawail Singh Sahaipur claimed that the protest would be intensified if the state government did not revert its decision to bifurcate the power entity.

SSP Lok Nath Angra claimed that employees aligned to various trade unions held protests at various places but later dispersed. Cops in large numbers had been deployed at sensitive places and there were no reports of any untoward incident.

Phagwara: The two-day strike by PSEB employees remained peaceful in Phagwara, Phillaur and Nakodar and power supply remained normal in these towns.

Apprehending trouble, heavy deployment of police was made to prevent any untoward incident and the administration also imposed orders prohibiting people from gathering in groups and carrying weapons at public places, including in and around PSEB units.

In Phagwara, the employees on strike got the support and sympathy from employees of other government offices. SDM Amarjit Paul and DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh monitored the situation during the midnight hours. Paul went to different PSEB transmission offices at 1 am last night and checked the alternative arrangements made with the hired technical staff of JCT Mills, sugar mill and starch mill to maintain regular power supply.

Khakh said the police had made security arrangements.

Several farmers’ organisations also supported the PSEB employees.

In Nakodar, though the strike remained successful, Executive Engineeer Kanwar Jaswant Singh claimed here today that power supply remained normal. However, striking employees held protest rallies and sat on dharna in front of the PSEB office in Nakodar.

Protest marches and rallies were organised by the employees in support of their demands in Phillaur, Goraya, Noormahal, Talwan, Bilga and Apra. Phillaur SDM Pritam Singh claimed that the strike remained peaceful and power supply was maintained today.

Jalandhar, April 15
As many as 12 schools across Jalandhar district have failed to meet the minimum quality level of potable water.

The district health authorities have done a random sampling of water sources installed in community places, including schools, dispensaries, public offices and common places, as a part of their monthly campaign. Water samples, taken form 12 primary and senior secondary schools, have failed to meet the standards required for drinking water.

As per the record of the authorities, eight samples were declared failed in the month of February out of which seven were collected only from schools. Similarly, all six samples, which failed during the month of March, were taken from the schools.

Block Kala Bakra is worst affected in which water in five government primary schools was declared unfit for consumption. School authorities of Government Primary School Ghugh, Rohajari, Bahopur, Sadana and Kandhala Bakra are asked either to change the water source or treat the water.

Similarly, water samples of Government Senior Secondary School Kadowal (Kartarpur) and Manak (Shahkot) and Governemnt Primary Schools Rauli (Mehatpur) and Mahddipur (Kala Bakra) have failed. In addition to this, water samples of two private schools in block Kala Bakra failed in March.

The authorities have declared water draining out of these sources non-potable and asked the school authorities to make alternative arrangement of water sources in these schools.

Ironically, water sample taken form Subsidiary Health Center, Dakoha, also failed in the month of February.

Failing of water samples in schools raises concerns as contaminated water at places like schools and dispensaries can cause outbreak of water-borne diseases like dysentery, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, diarrhea and jaundice.

When contacted, District Education Officer (Primary) Kamal Kanta said she was on leave for long time and cannot comment on the issue. DEO (Secondary) Joginder Das could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.