The coordination committee of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) on Thursday staged a protest against the decision of the Punjab government and PSPCL management for handing over the land of power colonies to Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA).
More than 800 employees and officers gathered at the main gate of PSPCL complex. Employees from all over Ludhiana zone comprising Ludhiana city, Lalton, Jagroan and Raikot participated in the protest.
The dharna was addressed by the leaders of the joint forum of Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) Engineers' Association and PSEB Employees' Federation. It was announced that shifting of offices at various places will adversely affect the working of PSPCL as well as it will cause a lot of inconvenience to the general public.
The leaders said shifting of offices would contribute to national loss in terms of wastage of fuel for activities related to employees as well as redressal of complaints of general public.
Condemning the decision of the Punjab government relating to the change of land use, officers and employees said the land was acquired originally for public interest but now it was being planned to be used for recreational purpose in downtown project. The members of the committee also said that if the proposed downtown project to be set up at the site required 100 acres and the land under possession of the PSPCL was only 32 acres, then from where the government would acquire the rest of the land.
The leaders said the Punjab and Haryana high court had given directions and a resolution was adopted by PSPCL management to provide alternate accommodation by construction of towers at the same location within three years of the decision, but even after the expiry of more than a year not a single brick has been laid down for alternative arrangement. Moreover, it is not clear between GLADA or powercom that who would own the responsibility of constructing the alternative towers.
{{/usCountry}}The leaders said the Punjab and Haryana high court had given directions and a resolution was adopted by PSPCL management to provide alternate accommodation by construction of towers at the same location within three years of the decision, but even after the expiry of more than a year not a single brick has been laid down for alternative arrangement. Moreover, it is not clear between GLADA or powercom that who would own the responsibility of constructing the alternative towers.
{{/usCountry}}It was also said that if the power colonies would be raised, nearly 2,000 trees in the area would get destroyed.