The Punjab State Electricity Board Engineers' Association (PSEBEA) has strongly condemned what it calls unauthorised meetings held by a small faction of engineers with the top management of the state power corporations. The association warned that its ongoing agitation would be intensified if the management continues to engage with "unrepresentative elements."
Condemnation of 'Secretive' Meeting in Mohali
In a strongly-worded statement issued on Saturday, the PSEBEA accused a "small group of self-styled and disgruntled engineer officers" of acting under political patronage. The association alleged that this group attempted to convene a misleading meeting with the Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of both Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL).
The meeting was reportedly held at the PSTCL Guest House in Mohali on Saturday afternoon. However, the PSEBEA claimed that the majority of engineers refused to attend, with only a handful participating. The association's representatives were present at the guest house to appeal to attending officers, urging them to instead bring their grievances to the PSEBEA headquarters in Patiala for resolution through proper organisational channels.
Ajaypal Singh Atwal, the general secretary of PSEBEA, expressed serious concern over this "secretive and unofficial meeting." He stated that it deliberately bypassed the duly elected and representative body of engineers, which is the PSEBEA itself.
Core Issues Behind the Ongoing Agitation
The engineers' body has been protesting on several critical fronts concerning the Punjab power sector. The primary issues fueling their agitation include:
- The suspension of the chief engineer of the Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant.
- The termination of Harjeet Singh from the post of director (generation).
- Alleged persistent political interference in the functioning of the power utilities.
- Significant concerns over delays and hurdles in establishing the 2x800 MW supercritical thermal units at Ropar under the state sector.
The PSEBEA alleges that actions like the Mohali meeting are aimed at creating confusion and weakening their united agitation, potentially for personal gains that could harm public sector assets.
Call for Legitimate Dialogue and Warning of Escalation
The association has made a direct appeal to the power utility management. It has urged them to refrain from engaging with "unrepresentative elements" and to only hold discussions with the legitimate, elected representatives of the engineers, i.e., the PSEBEA.
The body cautioned that encouraging such parallel interactions would only aggravate unrest and adversely impact the industrial harmony within the vital power sector. It is noteworthy that after the meeting of the other faction, the registered members of PSEBEA also met with the CMD to lodge their formal protest against the unauthorised engagement.
The PSEBEA has issued a clear warning: if their core demands are not addressed promptly, the ongoing agitation will be further intensified. The standoff highlights deepening internal tensions and governance challenges within Punjab's power sector administration.
