Thaindian News

Chandigarh, April 14 (IANS) As 60,000 employees of Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) threatened to go on strike from Wednesday midnight, huge number of police officials and paramilitary forces were deployed at the power agency’s units to prevent any untoward incidents.
“We are keeping a close tab on the situation and we will make sure that PSEB employees will not indulge in sabotage and arson in any part of the state. The situation is totally under control,” a senior Punjab police official said here.

Earlier PSEB had asked hospitals, railway authorities and others to make have back-up arrangements in view of the strike Thursday and Friday by its employees to oppose privatisation.

“Most of these (essential) services have their own generators and other arrangements in case of a power failure. We have asked them to keep it ready in case of any eventuality due to the strike,” said PSEB chairman H.S. Brar.

“Though we have made arrangements to ensure regular power supply to all areas, the staff may create some hindrance,” he added.

The agitating employees’ unions are opposing the privatisation of the PSEB which the state government has been putting off for the three years.

With the Punjab government announcing that the privatisation of PSEB would start Thursday, the employees’ unions have announced a two-day strike.

With the temperature soaring across the north India, consumers in the state could face difficulties in case of power supply disruption.

“Things can only get worse. Already, the PSEB has power cuts from 6-12 hours every day. If the employees go on strike, it is the common man who will suffer the most. Students are the worst sufferers due to erratic power supply during exams,” said Sarban Singh, a private-sector employee from Patiala.

Employees unions had gone on a strike March 30 to oppose the privatisation.

The new strike call was given after repeated rounds of talks between the state government and the unions failed to work out a solution.

“We are opposed to the privatisation of the PSEB as it is not likely to serve any purpose. We have told the government that the privatisation of electricity boards in other states has not been a success and the same should not be done here,” said a leader of the technical employees union.

The PSEB is running up cumulative losses of hundreds of crores of rupees annually and is unable to meet the rising demand for electricity in the state.