Transfer of 4 PSPCL properties to PUDA deferred amid protest

Reacting to the deferment, general secretary of the Punjab State Electricity Board Engineers’ Association (PSEBEA) Ajaypal Singh Atwal said, “We were struggling against the government’s decision to sell government properties… heartening to know that the plan to transfer a few properties… was deferred.”

Meanwhile, PSPCL engineers under the banner of PSEBEA have been observing a ‘work-to-rule’ protest since December 18. As part of the protest, engineers are working strictly between 9 am and 5 pm, and are switching off their official mobile phones after duty hours.

The association — along with other unions of PSPCL — has strongly opposed plans to sell or monetise PSPCL and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL) land and assets.

They argued that such moves could adversely affect future infrastructure development and undermine public ownership of the power sector.

Sources said that through the sale of prime properties, the government is aiming to generate revenue of around Rs 2,700 crore.

As per available information, eighty per cent of the earnings from the sale would go to the parent government department, while the remaining twenty per cent would be retained by PUDA.

While welcoming the deferment of some properties, PSEBEA members said the move was only partial. “Though deferring a few properties is a welcome step, the government has not put the entire list of properties on hold,” the association said.

The other properties in the list are located near railway crossing 23 in Patiala, land on Pakhowal Road, Ludhiana, Brown road, fountain chowk Ludhiana PSPCL property and few other locations.

During the board of directors’ meeting of PSPCL and PSTCL held on November 21, about 165 acres of land belonging to the residential colony of Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant in Bathinda was transferred to PUDA.