Residents Protest in Dhakoli Over Prolonged Power Cuts, PSPCL Employees’ Strike Escalates Crisis

Residents Protest in Dhakoli Over Prolonged Power Cuts, PSPCL Employees’ Strike Escalates Crisis

Residents of Harmilap Nagar Phases I and II, Saini Vihar, Gurjivan Vihar, and other areas in Dhakoli, Punjab, staged a protest outside the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) power grid on Thursday, September 12, following a prolonged power outage that began at 10 p.m. on Monday. Frustrated by the lack of electricity for nearly 21 hours, protesters, including women and children, raised slogans against PSPCL and the Punjab government.

The power cut affected dozens of housing societies, with electricity only restored by Tuesday evening around 7 p.m. The disruption led to significant inconvenience, and in response to the escalating protest, PSPCL officials called in the police to manage the situation.

The inconsistent power supply continued throughout the day in Baltana, with PSPCL’s Executive Engineer in Zirakpur, Surinder Singh Bains, citing multiple reasons for the disruption. He mentioned that many PSPCL employees were on strike, which had severely impacted operations. Additionally, heavy rains worsened the situation, delaying repairs and restoration efforts.

The crisis was further intensified by a mass strike initiated by various unions within PSPCL, with many employees taking mass leave from offices across Mohali. This led to prolonged outages in other areas, including Badhmajra, where residents also reported extended blackouts.

At a state-level press conference in Ludhiana, Ranjit Singh Dhillon, the state president of the Association of Junior Engineers, alongside convenors of the PSEB Employees Joint Forum, addressed the ongoing strike. The union leaders demanded better management and working conditions for PSPCL employees, alleging that unauthorized officials were creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty among the workforce.

The unions announced plans to escalate the strike, with a collective break scheduled from September 13 to September 17. During this period, PSPCL workers are expected to hold demonstrations in front of the corporation’s headquarters, and a state-level protest is planned for September 17 in Patiala. Black flags will be displayed as a mark of protest against the power corporation’s management and the Punjab government.

The union leaders, including Additional SDO Raghveer Singh and Rachpal Singh Pali, apologized for the inconvenience caused to residents and urged the public to support their ongoing action. They emphasized that their protest aimed to address longstanding issues within PSPCL and called on the Punjab government and power minister to resolve the situation urgently.