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Ludhiana: PSPCL staff to hold nine-day relay hunger strike from Jan 1
The unions warned that the monetisation of PSPCL land and assets would weaken the public power utility and eventually hit consumers through higher tariffs and reduced accountability
The employees and pensioners’ union of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) on Wednesday announced a nine-day relay hunger strike from January 1 to protest against the state government’s proposal to sale the power department’s land under its OUVGL (optimum use of vacant government lands) scheme. They described the move as the “systematic corporatisation” of the power sector.
Announcing this agitation, union leaders said they had exhausted all democratic means of protest over the past several months, including circle level sit-ins across Punjab between October 16 and October 31, a protest march outside the residence of the power minister in Ludhiana on November 2 and demonstrations during the Tarn Taran byelection campaign on November 9. Despite this, they alleged that both the state government and the PSPCL management continued to ignore their demands.
Union leaders further accused the power management of deliberately avoiding dialogue, claiming that a pre-scheduled meeting earlier this month did not take place despite senior officials, including the CMD, being present at the head office, prompting them to go on hunger strike.
The unions warned that the monetisation of PSPCL land and assets would weaken the public power utility and eventually hit consumers through higher tariffs and reduced accountability. They alleged that the move was part of a broader push towards privatisation of the power sector.
In Ludhiana alone, the state government has identified 10 PSPCL properties, spanning over 50.7 acres, for sale under the proposed scheme. These include Power Colony No 2 in Sarabha Nagar (21.04 acres), land near GT Road (13.25 acres), Power Colony No 1 in Sarabha Nagar (11.12 acres), land near the CMC division at Miller Ganj (2.92 acres), and land at BRS Nagar (1.189 acres).
Other properties marked for sale include land on Pakhowal Road (0.698 acres), a three storey building at Phuhara Chowk (0.225 acres), another three-storey building on Daresi Road (0.206 acres), property at Bassian (0.125 acres), and the e-substation Subhani building (0.014 acres).
The decision to intensify the agitation was taken during an emergency meeting of power sector unions on Wednesday. The unions accused both the Centre and the Punjab government of pursuing anti-people policies aimed at weakening public sector power utilities while shutting the doors to dialogue with employees and pensioners.
According to the unions, 11 leaders will sit on a 24-hour relay hunger strike daily from January 1 to January 9. In addition, daily protest will also be organised during this period to draw public attention to what they described as “dangerous policy decisions” affecting the future of the power sector.
The agitation is being led by a joint platform of electricity employees’ and pensioners’ organisations including the PSEB Employees Joint Forum, Bijli Mulazam Ekta Manch Punjab, Association of Junior Engineers, Grid Substation Employees Union, Powercom and Transco Pensioners Union Punjab and the Pensioners Welfare Federation.
Union leaders alleged that the proposed sale of land and assets would undermine PSPCL’s operational strength, threaten job security and service conditions of employees and compromise long term public control over power distribution. They reiterated that privatisation would ultimately burden farmers, domestic consumers and small industries.
The unions also strongly opposed the draft Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, alleging that it would facilitate large scale private and corporate entry into the power sector and dilute the role of state power utilities.
As part of the next phase of agitation, joint protest sit-ins will be held on January 16 outside PSPCL circle offices across Punjab, followed by a major state-level protest on January 21 outside the PSPCL head office in Patiala and a flag march in the city.
The unions also warned that if the Centre tables the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025 during the ongoing winter session of Parliament, power employees and pensioners in Punjab will observe a “black day” by wearing black badges and holding gate rallies in protest.
