Ludhiana bizmen to hold protests outside 9 sub-division offices of PSPCL

The city traders will hold weekly protests at nine sub-division offices of PSPCL in the district from June 28

The members of the Janta Nagar Small Scale Manufacturers Association, who are demanding the rollback of heavy penalties imposed by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), conducted a meeting on Monday and decided that they will hold weekly protests at nine sub-division offices of PSPCL in the district from June 28.

Last week, the traders had protested outside the PSPCL office at Ferozepur Road for four continuous days demanding the authorities to waive off the penalties and withdraw the cases of unauthorized electricity use filed against many of them. (HT File)

The fines have been imposed on several businessmen in the past year for using more than sanctioned load in their factories.

Protests will be held outside every subdivision of PSPCL every Monday. They will also burn the effigies of the PSPCL chief during the protests.

Last week, the traders had protested outside the PSPCL office at Ferozepur Road for four continuous days demanding the authorities to waive off the penalties and withdraw the cases of unauthorized electricity use filed against many of them but as the authorities failed to push back the penalties, the traders decided to protest outside the subdivision offices.

Janta Nagar Small Scale Manufacturers Association president Jaswinder Singh Thukral said, “The power corporation has been harassing us and must withdraw the cases and fines. The PSPCL chief must hold a meeting with us to resolve our issues otherwise we will continue our protest. In the past year, businessmen have already faced huge losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic and now these heavy penalties will force many of them to shut down their units.”