Latest news with #PunjabStatePowerCorporationLimited
Hindustan Times
17 hours ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Months on, PSPCL yet to implement automatic compensation mechanism
Even as Punjab reels under frequent power cuts and consumers face numerous electricity-related issues, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has yet to implement the notified Supply Code 2024, which mandates automatic compensation for violations of minimum standards of performance. The Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) had notified the Supply Code 2024 in November 2024, laying down minimum performance standards. The code prescribes automatic compensation ranging from ₹100 to ₹10,000 for certain services, while manual compensation is applicable for others. As per the notification, the automatic compensation mechanism was to come into force three months after the notification, i.e., from February 14. However, more than three months later, the PSPCL has failed to implement it. The services eligible for compensation include delay in restoring power supply, non-resolution of meter-related complaints, delay in releasing new electricity connections or additional load, delay in change of name or shifting of lines and complaints related to incorrect bills, etc. PSPCL director (distribution) Inderpal Singh said, 'I am not aware of this, but will check with the information technology department.' On the other hand, PSERC chairman Viswajeet Khanna confirmed, 'The automatic compensation mechanism is part of Supply Code 2024 and must be implemented without fail. We are reviewing the matter regularly with the PSPCL as it requires certain software upgrades.' Another PSPCL officer admitted that failure to implement penal provisions is affecting the quality of power supply, with residents bearing the brunt. 'Without the implementation of a compensation mechanism, there is no deterrent for underperforming PSPCL employees,' he said. Residents across the state have been suffering from frequent power cuts over the past 15 days. Unscheduled and rotational power outages have been reported from various regions. Overloaded transformers, ageing distribution and transmission lines and repeated infrastructure breakdowns have further aggravated the situation. Under the proposed system, consumers with power load up to 100 kW can lodge complaints with the division-level dispute settlement committee (executive engineer). Those with a load above 100 kW must approach the circle-level dispute settlement committee (superintending engineer) and each district. Consumers (for manual compensation) must submit their compensation claim to the nodal officer of the appropriate forum within 60 days from the date of the cause of action. Once approved by the appropriate forum, the compensation will be adjusted in the consumer's subsequent electricity bill. The PSPCL will also create an online portal for consumers to register and claim compensation. Any compensation payable by the PSPCL due to the negligence or inefficiency of its employees will not be allowed as a pass-through expense in the electricity tariff order. Arrangements in place for uninterrupted supply: Minister Chandigarh Amid frequent power outages in some parts of the state, power minister Harbhajan Singh on Friday announced that the PSPCL had made extensive arrangements to ensure uninterrupted power supply and efficient complaint resolution during the upcoming summer and paddy season, as well as in the event of power disruptions caused by heavy rains and windstorms. The minister said the PSPCL has established dedicated control rooms at each zonal level and a central control room at the head office in Patiala to monitor power supply 24x7. 'Consumers can now register power supply or billing-related complaints through the PSPCL mobile app, by sending an SMS or calling 1912, giving a missed call on the toll-free number 1800-180-1512, or by reaching out via WhatsApp on 96461-01912,' he said in a statement.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Power outage for four days running cripples Baltana market in Punjab
Following heavy rain and thunderstorms on Wednesday and Saturday nights, the electricity supply system in Baltana market in Zirakpur, Mohali, has been severely disrupted, causing significant inconvenience to residents and traders. Although a scheduled power cut was announced by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) on Sunday, shopkeepers in the Baltana market area claim they have been without electricity for the past four days, resulting in major business losses. According to the traders, their operations have come to a standstill due to the prolonged outage. They allege that linemen are demanding bribes to restore electricity to their shops. Already struggling with low footfall due to the sweltering heat, the traders say they are now facing an added burden of corruption and poor service. Sixteen shopkeepers from the area reported that power has been cut off at their shops for four consecutive days. When they contacted the concerned linemen for resolution, they were allegedly asked to pay Rs 1,000 per shop to get the issue fixed. This demand has sparked outrage among the traders and local residents, who claim that corruption has worsened rather than declining under the current government. The traders further allege that even after paying the demanded amount, there has been no resolution to their problem. They added that the PSPCL officials, including the SDO and JE responsible for the area, have not been answering calls made to lodge complaints. This has added to their frustration, as they continue to face financial losses and operational difficulties. Dairy shop owners, in particular, reported heavy losses as perishable items like milk, curd, paneer, and other refrigerated products worth thousands of rupees are spoiling due to lack of electricity. Residents are also facing severe difficulties, with many forced to rely on candles and generators to meet basic needs. With temperatures soaring during the summer, the demand for electricity has increased significantly. As a result, power faults and strong winds are causing repeated disruptions, leaving people without electricity for hours. While the PSPCL is reportedly receiving a high volume of complaints daily, staff shortages are making it difficult to meet the growing demand. When The Indian Express tried to contact Surinder Singh Bains, the PSPCL Executive Engineer (XEN) of Zirakpur, for a comment, he did not respond to repeated phone calls and WhatsApp messages.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Storm aftermath: Ludhiana reels under 22-hour outage
Despite tall promises of uninterrupted power supply and preparations for extreme weather, residents across Ludhiana were left reeling under massive power outages , some lasting up to 22 hours after a fierce sandstorm accompanied by gusty winds swept through the city on Saturday evening. While the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) had assured citizens of robust infrastructure, the storm exposed glaring vulnerabilities. Adding to the frustration, residents claimed there was no clear communication from the authorities regarding restoration timelines. Many alleged repeated calls to helplines went unanswered. 'The power went out early evening and didn't return till the next morning. We had no updates from PSPCL despite several complaints,' said a resident from Model Town. Power supply crumbles despite heavy investment The power supply crisis comes in sharp contrast to recent claims made by Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, who on May 3, 2025, announced transformative upgrades to Ludhiana's power infrastructure during the 2024–25 fiscal year. These included a ₹221-crore investment in upgrading transformers, modernising over 900 km of high- and low-tension lines, and replacing outdated ACSR wires with HTLS conductors. Along this, on March 9 PSPCL central zone has initiated a series of projects worth ₹265 crore aimed at strengthening the electricity supply in Ludhiana and its surrounding areas. The investment included the installation of 234 new distribution transformers, 37 new feeders, and bifurcation of several feeder lines Yet, the storm left 183 feeders of 11 KV lines down, plunging multiple localities into darkness. The worst affected were under the Focal Point division (58 feeders), Janta Nagar (50), Aggar Nagar (33), Model Town (26), and Estate division (23). Manpower crisis worsens restoration efforts Further complicating matters is a severe manpower crisis. The technical staff responsible for complaint handling wagons and bikes, mostly outsourced are on an indefinite strike, leaving restoration work solely in the hands of the already overstretched regular staff. Official data reveals that 76% of lineman and assistant lineman posts are vacant in Ludhiana. The city has only 1,196 such personnel to cater to over 17 lakh power consumers. 'The situation is so grave that our field staff is taking help from daily wagers to carry out basic restoration tasks. This clearly shows the kind of strain we are under', revealed a senior PSPCL official on the condition of anonymity. Infra damage The storm also caused extensive infrastructure damage. Across Ludhiana district, 691 electric poles and 183 transformers were damaged, with losses estimated at ₹2.76 crore. The sub-urban circle bore the worst of it, with 130 transformers damaged with Jagraon (58), Raikot (30), Lalton Kalan (19), Adda Dakha (12), and Ahmedgarh (11). Within Ludhiana city limits, 32 transformers and 146 poles were reported damaged, along with 5.5 km of ACSR lines. Surge in complaints Officials from PSPCL's central zone reported that a total of 39,639 complaints were registered following the storm which usually were around 24,000. So far, 32,560 complaints have been resolved. Among the divisions, Aggar Nagar recorded the highest number of complaints at 8,974, followed by Model Town with 6,731, Focal Point with 5,019, and Janta Nagar with 1,800. Over 50 trees uprooted across city High-speed winds accompanied by rain showers that took the city by the storm on Saturday evening, uprooted more than 50 trees across residential and commercial areas in Ludhiana. The sudden storm left a trail of fallen trees that damaged parked vehicles, snapped electricity lines, and blocked several roads, officials familiar with the matter said. The worst affected include Patel Nagar, BRS Nagar I-Block, Model Gram, Dugri, and various sectors of Rishi Nagar, including A and Z Blocks. Residents reported severe disruptions, with fallen trees blocking roads and crushing vehicles. Khullar Street on Bindraban Road in Ward No 70 also bore the brunt of the storm. Voicing his concerns, Dilbagh Singh, a resident of Rishi Nagar said, 'The storm brought down multiple trees in our area, and several of them fell directly on the electricity lines. We've been without power since evening, and with the roads partially blocked by debris, it's been difficult for anyone to step out. It's been a long and exhausting night for all of us.' Junior engineer Kirpal Singh from the horticulture wing of municipal corporation confirmed the extent of the damage, by stating, 'Around 50 trees have been uprooted in several parts of the city. We are clearing the pathways after receiving complaints from affected areas,' he said. More thunderstorms expected this week After a thunderstorm, followed by light right, swept through the city Saturday evening, the maximum temperature fell by around 7°C, 3.6°C less than the normal for the day, bringing a much-needed respite from soaring temperature that had hovered above 40°C for over ten days. The city was hit by a strong thunderstorm with gusty wind flowing as fast as 50-60 kmph which was followed by light amounts of rain, a total of 3.2 mm, on Saturday evening, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The maximum temperature on Saturday was 42°C, which fell to 35.2°C on Sunday. The minimum temperature also saw a fall of around 3°C. On Saturday the minimum temperature was 27°C and on Sunday it fell to 23.4°C, a degree less than the normal for the day. The thunderstorms were caused due to an interaction between the higher westerly winds and lower easterly winds. 'There were westerlies from the Mediterranean which are around 8-10 km above the ground and easterlies from the Arabian sea which are just 1 km above the ground. The interaction of these winds caused the strong storm that swept across north India yesterday,' said director of IMD's Chandigarh centre, Surender Paul. If not as strong as yesterday, thunderstorm like conditions were possible for at least in the coming two to three days, he cautioned. The IMD's daily bulletin also noted that 'isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds speed reaching 40-50 kmph' were likely over Punjab during May 25-31. However, he also said that strong rains that can affect the weather significantly were only likely by May end. As per the IMD's latest weekly weather forecast for the city, the temperature is likely to rise but will stay below 40°C in the coming week.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Khanna police bust drug trafficking ring; head constable and PSPCL employees arrested
LUDHIANA: Khanna police arrested eleven accused, including a police head constable and three PSPCL (Punjab State Power Corporation Limited) employees, after recovering 230 grams of heroin and Rs 65,000 in drug money from them. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Police officials said that on 19 May, a police party from Khanna City Two Police Station was present at Sabji Mandi near Amloh Road to check suspicious persons. An informer reported that in a vacant plot in City Home Colony, Khanna, some youths were sitting on a motorcycle Splendor, a car Etios, and a vehicle Scorpio. These individuals were addicted to drugs and supplying them. Acting on this tip-off, the police immediately raided the spot and arrested the accused. SSP Khanna, Dr Jyoti Yadav, stated that the individuals were taken out of the vehicles, and the police asked for their names and addresses. They identified themselves as Amarjit Singh of Udham Nagar, Shri Muktsar Sahib; Angrej Singh of Kartar Singh Nagar, Khanna; Dubli; Sehzad Mohammad of New Shanti Nagar; and Manjinder Singh of Kotla Dhak, who is an assistant lineman, and Sukhvir Singh of Basant Nagar, Khanna. She added that when the accused were searched in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, a transparent envelope was recovered from the pocket of the pants worn by Amarjit Singh, from which 30 grams of heroin was recovered, along with drug money of Rs 20,000 from the dashboard of the vehicle. Police officials said that the accused were arrested, and a case was registered at Khanna City Two Police Station. Further investigation of the case was carried out, and during the in-depth interrogation of accused Amarjit Singh, it was revealed that Gurmukh Singh of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Colony, Khanna (SSA rank official in PSPCL), and Head Constable Arvinder Singh of Passi Nagar on Pakhowal Road of Ludhiana procured the drug and supplied it to two different places. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The SSP said that Gurmukh Singh was named as an accused in the case and arrested, with 100 grams of heroin recovered from him. She added that on 21 May, as per the interrogation and on the statement of Gurmukh Singh, Raj Mahinder Singh was named as an accused in the case. He was arrested in Amritsar on the evidence of Gurmukh Singh, and 100 grams of heroin and Rs 45,000 in drug money were recovered. A senior police officer said that while investigating the case thoroughly, it also came to light that Head Constable Arvinder Singh, who is posted at Counter-Intelligence Ludhiana, and Sukhdev Singh of Dehiru, who is a watchman in the Electricity Board, are involved in . They were named as accused in the case and arrested. Police officials said that while further investigating the case, it came to light that Head Constable Arvinder Singh often sold drugs at the Doctor Mobile Repair Shop of Amritpal Singh in Bhola Colony, Manakwal, on Dhandra Road of Ludhiana, where he has been arrested. They added that in-depth interrogation of the accused is underway, and more important revelations are expected in the case.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
HC disposes Rajendra hosp power outage case after compliance report by govt
1 2 3 Patiala: The Punjab and Haryana high court has disposed of a revival application in the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning repeated power outages at Rajendra Hospital, Patiala, after reviewing compliance affidavits submitted by senior govt officials. The PIL, filed by advocate Sunaina earlier this year, sought court directions to ensure uninterrupted regular power supply in all govt and semi-govt hospitals across Punjab. It was originally disposed of on Feb 25, 2025, based on an undertaking by the chief secretary, Punjab, affirming that automatic switchover systems would be installed by March 1 in various departments of Rajendra Hospital, Patiala. However, following a fourth major power failure on April 15 — severely affecting critical facilities, including the maternity ward and operation theatre — Sunaina filed a revival application, calling the recurring outages "an administrative failure" and warning of continued risks to public safety. Taking note, the chief justice directed both the chief secretary, Govt of Punjab, and the managing director of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to submit affidavits detailing whether automatic switchover systems were installed, their current functionality, and the reasons for any non-compliance. In an affidavit dated May 21, the chief secretary confirmed the installation of automatic switchover systems in all 19 diesel generator (DG) sets, expansion of UPS coverage to nine additional critical areas, and administrative steps, including transferring DG maintenance responsibilities to the PWD B&R Electrical Division from Jan 25 onwards, when a high-level meeting was held under health minister and principal secretary of Medical Education and Research. Meanwhile, the MD, PSPCL stated that no disruption occurred in PSPCL's primary power supply to the hospital at the time of the reported failure, suggesting a possible gap in hospital-level backup response rather than external power issues. Despite the contradiction, the high court, satisfied with the govt's compliance measures and undertakings, disposed of the revival application, bringing the litigation to a close. The court also directed the petitioner in person to file a fresh petition if and when a new cause of action arises of a future power outage incident at Rajendra hospital Patiala. The case sparked wider discussions on the state of emergency preparedness and infrastructure accountability in Punjab's healthcare system. MSID:: 121364454 413 | Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
