A powerful coalition representing the backbone of Punjab's power sector has declared a major statewide agitation, marking an unprecedented show of unity against what they term the government's "anti-power sector" policies. The joint action committee, bringing together engineers, current employees, and pensioners from various power utility bodies, has decided to take their protest to the streets across Punjab.
Unprecedented Unity Sparks Statewide Movement
This formidable alliance was formed during a crucial joint meeting that saw participation from a wide spectrum of associations. Key groups involved include the PSEB Engineers Association, the Council of Junior Engineers, the Electricity Employees Struggle Front, and the Pensioners Association. They were joined by the IT Officers Association, HR Officers Association, Accounts Association, and several other representative bodies.
Committee spokespersons Avtar Singh Kaith, Amandeep Jehlvi, and Jatinder Garg emphasized the historic nature of this mobilization. They stated that for the first time, engineers, serving employees, and pensioners have united under a single banner to protect the public power sector. "This struggle is not only the responsibility of power employees but also of the general public. Protecting Punjab's public power sector is in the larger public interest," the spokespersons asserted.
Core Grievances and Protest Schedule
The agitation is a direct response to several contentious government policies. The primary points of conflict are threefold. First, the committee strongly opposes the proposed sale of Power Corporation (Powercom) land. Second, they are protesting the significant delays in establishing two new 800 MW thermal units at Ropar. Third, and perhaps most critically, they are resisting attempts to implement the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2025, which they believe will adversely affect the public sector power framework.
To escalate their demands, the joint action committee has announced a series of zonal-level sit-ins and protests across Punjab. The protest schedule is as follows:
- January 2: Zonal dharna in Amritsar
- January 6: Zonal dharna in Bathinda
- January 9: Zonal dharna in Patiala
- January 15: Zonal dharna in Ludhiana
- January 20: Zonal dharna in Jalandhar
Warning of Escalation and Next Steps
The committee has issued a clear warning to the state government. If their concerns are not addressed promptly, they plan to intensify the agitation significantly. As a major escalation point, they have announced that a large-scale sit-in will be staged outside the Powercom headquarters in the last week of January.
This planned protest movement highlights deep-seated anxieties within Punjab's power sector workforce regarding privatization and policy shifts. The coming weeks are likely to see heightened tensions as the employee groups push for a dialogue with the government to resolve these pressing issues before the situation escalates further.
