PSPCL, govt ignored alert on electricity crisis: Engineers

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 26

The PSEB Engineers’ Association has criticised the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) management and the state government for going against the interest of the common man.

Engineers said they had been informing the PSPCL and government of the looming crisis and that the wrong decisions being taken by the power authority would lead to unreliable supply and higher electricity tariffs, but to no avail.

Jasvir Singh Dhiman, president of the association, said going against the Central Electricity Authority guidelines and ignoring the warnings of power shortage, the state government shut down the recently renovated and healthy thermal plant at Bathinda and two units at the Ropar plant without any alternate arrangement.

With more than 50 per cent posts vacant, the PSPCL was facing an acute staff shortage, he said. “Engineers are being manhandled by people for the failures of the PSPCL management. Yesterday, protesting farmer unions gheraoed the Barnala Superintending Engineer of the power authority. Under such conditions, it has become impossible for us to ensure quality supply to consumers,” said Dhiman.

“The fears of engineers have come true and Punjab is now facing a severe power crisis. Due to poor planning, sufficient manpower was not arranged. The claims of the management regarding adequate power stand exposed with recurring cuts and insufficient supply to farmers,” said an association member.

“It is ironic that healthy thermal units are not being revived even when the state is in the middle of a major power crisis,” he said.