The Council of Junior Engineers PSEB (Regd.), representing junior engineers and promotee engineers in Punjab's power utilities, has declared a statewide agitation against the management of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL). The union cites hostile working conditions, severe manpower shortages, and stalled promotions as primary grievances.
Protest Schedule
According to the protest timeline, circle-level demonstrations will commence on June 24. These will be followed by zonal rallies in Bathinda, Jalandhar, Patiala, and Amritsar throughout July. A state-level protest is scheduled outside the residence of the Punjab power minister on July 21.
Warning of Power Disruption
In a formal notice addressed to the chairman-cum-managing directors of PSPCL and PSTCL, the council warned that the state government and utility management would bear responsibility for any disruption in power supply if their long-pending demands remain unresolved.
Allegations Against Management
The council alleges that field engineers are subjected to undue pressure and punitive actions for power outages that are beyond their control. It claims employees are forced to remain available beyond duty hours despite severe infrastructure constraints and a shortage of technical staff.
Key Demands
Among its key demands, the council seeks relaxation in promotion norms for advancement from assistant accounts engineer (JE-I) to assistant engineer and from assistant engineer to assistant executive engineer. The union also objects to recent transfers of engineers to distant locations during the paddy and summer season, terming them a source of significant hardship.
Timing of Agitation
The agitation comes at a crucial time when Punjab's power demand peaks due to paddy transplantation. PSPCL has already imposed restrictions on leave for technical staff until September 15 to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
Regulatory and Human Rights Approach
The council has decided to approach the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC), seeking intervention against directives mandating rapid complaint resolution and outage reporting. It also plans to move the Punjab State Human Rights Commission over what it describes as excessive work pressure and inadequate manpower.
Staffing Shortages
The agitation highlights long-standing concerns over staffing shortages in the power sector. Internal data indicate that only about 2,100 of the nearly 3,500 sanctioned junior engineer posts are currently filled, placing additional burden on the existing workforce during the state's most demanding power-supply season.
