Protest over sale of PSPCL land, draft Electricity Amendment Bill

Addressing the gathering, JAC leaders alleged that the Punjab government was planning to sell valuable land assets of PSPCL, calling the move highly imprudent. They claimed that most of the land had been acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, for public purposes and should continue to be used for strengthening the power infrastructure.

The JAC said that in view of the rising power demand in the state, there was an urgent need to install new substations and develop related infrastructure on these lands to ensure better services to consumers. They demanded that the proposed sale of PSPCL land be halted immediately and the assets be utilised for expanding PSPCL’s activities instead of being handed over to real estate personnel. Some protesters also stated that Punjab urgently needed to enhance its generation capacity.

Although the Centre has approved two 800-MW supercritical thermal units at the Ropar plant, the state government has yet to initiate the process. They demanded that the project be taken up on priority to reduce dependence on energy banking and make Punjab self-sufficient in the power sector.

The JAC also condemned the Centre’s move to introduce the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025 which according to the employees is a way towards privatisation. Avtar Singh Kainth and Kuldeep Singh Udhoke of the Bijli Mulazam Sangharshshil Morcha, along with Kuldeep Singh Khanna of the Pensioners’ Association, said that the Bill would pave the way for privatisation of power distribution, weaken the role of state governments and eliminate cross-subsidies. They warned that electricity tariffs would be determined on a ‘cost-to-serve’ basis, leading to higher power bills and adversely affecting poor households, farmers and low-income consumers.

Ajaypal Singh Atwal, general secretary of JAC said that as per the agitation programme, the next zonal protest dharnas will be held on January 9 at Patiala, January 15 at Ludhiana and January 20 at Jalandhar.

The joint protesters warned that if the state government and PSPCL management failed to take corrective steps, the agitation would be intensified, including a state-level dharna in front of the PSPCL headquarters at Patiala.

Leaders of various farmer unions also addressed the gathering and extended support to the power sector employees. A chain hunger strike organised by PSEB Employees Federation has also been going on outside PSPCL headquarters at Patiala since January 1 on similar demands.