Employees, engineers, and pensioners from Punjab's power sector staged a significant protest in Bathinda on Tuesday, January 7, 2026. The demonstration, organized by the Joint Action Committee (JAC), targeted three major issues: the proposed sale of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) land, the contentious draft Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, and the stalled project for two new supercritical thermal units at the Ropar plant.
March to Chief Engineer's Office Marks Escalation
A large gathering, which also included representatives from various farmer unions, participated in the zonal-level dharna at the PSPCL Bathinda zone office. Following the sit-in, the protesters escalated their demonstration by taking out a march from the zonal office to the office of the Chief Engineer for the Bathinda zone.
Addressing the crowd, JAC leaders strongly criticized the state government's alleged plan to sell off valuable PSPCL land assets. They labeled the move as highly imprudent and argued that most of this land was originally acquired under the Land Acquisition Act of 1894 for public purposes. The leaders insisted that these lands must continue to serve the public good by being used to strengthen the state's power infrastructure.
Core Demands: Halt Land Sale, Start Ropar Project
The JAC presented a clear set of demands during the protest. They emphasized that with Punjab's electricity demand consistently rising, there is an urgent need to build new substations and develop related infrastructure on these very lands. This, they argued, is essential for ensuring better services to consumers.
The protesters demanded an immediate halt to the proposed sale of PSPCL land. They insisted that these assets should be utilized for expanding the corporation's own activities rather than being handed over to real estate developers.
On the generation front, the protesters highlighted a critical gap. They pointed out that while the Central government has already approved two new 800-MW supercritical thermal units at the Ropar plant, the Punjab state government has not yet initiated the process to start the project. The JAC demanded that this project be taken up on priority to reduce Punjab's dependence on energy banking and move the state towards self-sufficiency in power.
Opposition to Electricity Bill and Warning of Higher Tariffs
The protest also served as a platform to condemn the Central government's draft Electricity Amendment Bill 2025. The power sector employees view this bill as a direct step towards the privatization of the power distribution sector.
Leaders including Avtar Singh Kainth and Kuldeep Singh Udhoke of the Bijli Mulazam Sangharshshil Morcha, and Kuldeep Singh Khanna of the Pensioners' Association, voiced their concerns. They warned that the bill would weaken the role of state governments, eliminate cross-subsidies, and lead to tariffs being determined on a cost-to-serve basis. This, they cautioned, would result in significantly higher electricity bills, adversely affecting poor households, farmers, and low-income consumers across Punjab.
Agitation to Spread Across Punjab
Ajaypal Singh Atwal, the general secretary of the JAC, announced the future course of the agitation. As per their planned program, the next zonal protest dharnas are scheduled for January 9 in Patiala, January 15 in Ludhiana, and January 20 in Jalandhar.
The joint protesters issued a stern warning to the state government and PSPCL management. They stated that if their demands are not met and corrective steps are not taken, the agitation will be intensified. This escalation could include a major state-level dharna in front of the PSPCL headquarters in Patiala.
This protest in Bathinda is not an isolated event. It coincides with a chain hunger strike that has been ongoing outside the PSPCL headquarters in Patiala since January 1, organized by the PSEB Employees Federation on similar demands. The movement is gaining support, with leaders of various farmer unions also addressing the Bathinda gathering and extending their solidarity to the power sector employees.
