Power engineers resent abolition of post
Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 13
The Himachal Power Engineers’ Association has expressed resentment over the decision of the state electricity board to abolish the post of Chief Engineer (System Planning) and merger of its function in the office of Chief Engineer (System Operation).

The association stated that this decision of the management was highly detrimental to the working of the company. The post of the Chief Engineer (SP) was created way back in 1988 for the integrated planning of power system in the state and for the formulation of schemes and getting them financed from the PFC or the REC or other financial institutions. The quantum of work being handled by the Chief Engineer (SP) had not in any way reduced and, thus, the purpose of abolishing the post was not understood.

The Chief Engineer (SO) was dealing with sale and purchase of power, which involved transactions amounting to over Rs 2,300 crore, power regulation and IT applications and it would be difficult for the Chief Engineer (SO) to handle the additional functions of the system planning.

The association said the decision was based on the premature evaluation of the office of the Chief Engineer (SP) by the management and asserted that the distribution company could not run without a full-fledged planning wing as it required effective system planning with introduction of the state-of-the-art technology.

Welcoming the decision to post a Chief Engineer (Electrical) in the office of planning and monitoring, the association demanded the immediate restoration of the post of Chief Engineer (System Planning) failing which it would be constrained to adopt trade unionist methods.