Ambala, July 2: Thousands of members of the HSEB Workers Union, arriving from various districts of the state, staged a protest this morning at Gandhi Park in Ambala Cantt against the department's suppression of their demands. These employees had gathered to submit a memorandum of demands to Power Minister Anil Vij. Upon learning of the workers' gathering in Ambala, the administration went on high alert, and security arrangements were further tightened. Raising slogans, the electricity employees stated that they had repeatedly presented their demands to the government, yet no action had been taken.
Yashpal Deswal, State General Secretary of the HSEB Workers Union (headquartered in Bhiwani), stated that they would march peacefully to Power Minister Anil Vij's residence to submit their 14-point charter of demands—demands that had been submitted previously but had not resulted in any action to date. He warned that if the government failed to meet their demands, a major agitation would be launched in the future.
The memorandum submitted by Yashpal Deswal primarily demanded the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme for electricity employees. The union also demanded the regularization of employees working on DC rates, contracts, and through HKRN; equal pay for equal work; and the implementation of ESI, accident insurance, medical benefits, and annual salary increments.
The union further demanded provisions for employment and job security benefits for the dependents of employees who die while on duty. The charter of demands includes enhanced benefits such as risk allowance, medical allowance, transport allowance, education allowance, electricity allowance, and retirement gifts. Additionally, the union sought the transfer of employees working outside their zones to their home districts or nearby circles, the processing of pending promotions, and an increase in promotion quotas for various cadres. Additionally, demands have been raised to eliminate pay disparities, provide free electricity units and LTC facilities to retired employees and family pensioners, implement an inter-utility transfer policy, repair dilapidated offices and residential colonies, and reinstate abolished clerical and peon posts. The union has also demanded the withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the proposed 2025 amendment, as well as a ban on the privatization or bifurcation of power corporations.
The union has urged the government to make a prompt decision on these demands in the interest of the employees, so that the functioning of the department and power services can be further improved. Furthermore, the union has demanded the abolition of the system that withholds ACP, loan, and promotion benefits from employees solely due to pending charge-sheets or show-cause notices, the implementation of a cashless medical policy for all employees and pensioners, and an amendment to the ex-gratia policy.
At the time of writing this report, union members were staging a sit-in outside the residence of Energy Minister Anil Vij.