Joint Front of HPSEBL Employees & Engineers Holds Meeting: Strong Opposition to Government’s Proposal to Abolish Key Posts
Today, a meeting of the Joint Front of HPSEBL Employees & Engineers took place, with all constituents participating virtually. After thorough discussions, the Front expressed strong opposition to the Government of Himachal Pradesh and HPSEBL management’s proposal to abolish more than 50 manned posts, including those of Superintendents Engineer (SE), Senior Executive Engineer (Sr. XEN), and Assistant Engineer (AE).
It is important to note that this proposed action by the Government contradicts its earlier decision to establish Chief Engineer and Superintending Engineer offices in Hamirpur and Dehra.
Kumud Sharma | Diarytimes News Network
Shimla: Today, a meeting of the Joint Front of HPSEBL Employees & Engineers took place, with all constituents participating virtually. After thorough discussions, the Front expressed strong opposition to the Government of Himachal Pradesh and HPSEBL management’s proposal to abolish more than 50 manned posts, including those of Superintendents Engineer (SE), Senior Executive Engineer (Sr. XEN), and Assistant Engineer (AE).
The Convener, Er. Lokesh Thakur, and Co-convener, Shri H.L. Verma, emphasized that abolishing these posts will significantly hinder the functioning of HPSEBL, as these positions have been integral since the establishment of their respective offices. They argued that such a move would disrupt the fundamental structure of HPSEBL and should not be decided unilaterally. The organization has a specific structure designed to ensure smooth operations, complete with established norms and delegation of powers, which cannot be altered in isolation.
They pointed out that the works sections were established in field offices specifically to support officers-in-charge in conducting frequent site inspections and managing various field-related tasks, alongside their routine administrative responsibilities. The Joint Front has already reached out to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, highlighting the critical importance of these offices in maintaining effective operations.
The Joint Front is understandably surprised by the contemplation of such a move within HPSEBL. It is worth noting that HPSEBL is already facing a significant staff shortage. Instead of addressing this pressing issue, the proposal seems to aim at exacerbating the problem by creating an artificial scarcity of engineers at all levels. This could have a serious impact on the overall functioning of HPSEBL.
Furthermore, any such move made without a thorough study could disrupt the fundamental structure of HPSEBL, which has reliably provided 24-hour electricity supply across Himachal since the late 1980s. Altering this structure without consulting the Joint Front would not only hinder the effective functioning of HPSEBL but also betray the bipartite agreement established between the Government of Himachal Pradesh and the Joint Front.
It is important to note that this proposed action by the Government contradicts its earlier decision to establish Chief Engineer and Superintending Engineer offices in Hamirpur and Dehra. Members of the Joint Front have previously written to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, stating that the creation of these offices would not benefit HPSEBL and could instead lead to administrative challenges in its day-to-day operations.
It is unclear how abolishing these posts will improve the financial health of HPSEBL, especially since, as a regulated entity, all employee costs have already been included in this year’s tariff structure. In fact, this move is likely to result in increased unemployment in a state where job opportunities are already scarce. While some have claimed that HPSEBL has a higher employee cost compared to other states, this is a misrepresentation of the facts. HPSEBL not only operates in challenging terrains that many other states do not face, but it also consistently delivers uninterrupted power at a lower cost than most states.
The Joint Front has decided to inform the Hon’ble Chief Minister and the Minister leading the subcommittee of the facts regarding this issue in the first phase. They will request that the proposal be put on hold until further discussions can take place.
Read More |Â Urgent Notice: Proposed Abolition of Posts in HPSEBL by the Government of Himachal Pradesh
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