The Punjab power department has sought immediate exemption of technical officers and field staff of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL) from duties assigned to them for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, citing the need to maintain uninterrupted power supply during the ongoing paddy season.
He sought their immediate withdrawal from SIR duties and deployment back in their parent departments. The department has particularly flagged the deployment of technical manpower in field positions. Garg said in the North Zone alone, comprising Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Nawanshahr circles, 12 technical officers had been deputed as additional AEROs and supervisors and directed to be fully relieved of their power-sector duties during the SIR exercise.
“PSPCL and PSTCL are essential service undertakings responsible for generation, transmission, distribution and supply of power to approximately 1.07 crore consumers across Punjab,” Garg said in the letter. “Withdrawal of officers and technical field staff for a non-departmental assignment impairs the corporations’ ability to maintain continuous and uninterrupted supply,” the letter said, adding that this could cause “public inconvenience in the districts concerned”. In a letter addressed to all deputy commissioners on Wednesday, administrative secretary, Power, Basant Garg said several PSPCL and PSTCL officers and technical personnel had been deployed as additional assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs), supervisors and booth level officers (BLOs).
