Engineers working for Punjab's state-owned power distribution and transmission companies are set to intensify their ongoing agitation starting Thursday. The protest action will involve switching off official mobile phones and strictly adhering to work-to-rule protocols. This escalation comes after the state government failed to address their core demands, which include stopping the sale of utility properties, reinstating suspended senior executives, and scrapping a contentious electricity amendment bill.
Core Grievances and Unresolved Demands
The PSEB Engineers' Association initiated this wave of protests in late November. The agitation is a response to what the engineers describe as undue political interference, the proposed monetisation of assets belonging to PSPCL and PSTCL, and the suspension of key personnel. Specifically, the body is protesting the suspension of chief engineer Harish Sharma from the Ropar thermal power plant and the removal of director (generation) Harjit Singh.
More than 1,000 engineers rallied in Patiala on December 2, expressing frustration over what they see as arbitrary actions by the management and government. Despite repeated appeals to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Power Minister Sanjeev Arora, their concerns remain unaddressed. A formal notice issued on Monday highlighted several unresolved issues.
Key unresolved issues include:
- Hurdles in the development of the 2x800 MW supercritical units at Ropar.
- Alleged pressure on engineers to bend technical rules.
- A management culture that allegedly humiliates dissenters through punitive transfers and public shaming.
"Engineers who uphold ethical standards face punishment postings to remote stations," stated association general secretary Rajinder Gupta in the notice. The association's demands are clear: an immediate halt to property sales, reversal of all suspensions, and an end to non-technical interference in technical decisions. The proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 remains a major point of contention, viewed as a move that would erode utility autonomy by centralising control and paving the way for privatisation.
Sector Challenges and Past Unrest
The protests unfold against a backdrop of severe financial and operational strain within Punjab's power sector. The utilities are grappling with a staggering debt of ₹1.2 lakh crore and transmission losses exceeding 20%, a situation exacerbated by the policy of providing free electricity to farmers.
The ₹16,000 crore Ropar supercritical project, designed to provide efficient and low-emission power, is facing significant funding delays and allegations of political sabotage. These delays threaten to result in power blackouts during the upcoming summer months when demand peaks.
This marks the third major agitation by PSEB engineers in the last five years, following the 2022 strikes that disrupted supply to over 20 lakh consumers. The current protest strategy is systematic: all engineers will switch off their official mobile phones daily from 5 PM to 9 AM (and during off-duty shifts). Their strict work-to-rule approach at generating stations is expected to slow down responses to faults occurring outside regular hours. The engineers will also continue their boycott of official WhatsApp groups used for coordination.
Coordinated Actions and Future Warnings
The movement is gaining broader support. A joint meeting of PSPCL and PSTCL unions is scheduled for December 12, followed by a session with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on December 13 to coordinate actions against the electricity bill and asset sales.
The engineers' association has issued a stern warning, indicating that the unrest will escalate further if their demands are not met. The notice has been copied to top government officials and other unions. While the engineers have pledged to sustain essential power services, they have squarely blamed the management for any potential disruptions in the future.
"We seek fairness, not confrontation. The government must resolve this issue now," urged Rajinder Gupta, the general secretary of the engineers' association. The coming days will be critical as the state government weighs its response to this growing industrial action in a vital sector.
