(In a letter to the Governor of Punjab Simranjit Singh Mann said that Sikhs were tired of the discrimination at India’s hands and was willing like Estonia to buy their country and their freedom. The entire letter is reproduced below.)
Dear General Malhotra,
I visited the border rural areas of the Punjab in the last week of June and observed that the public water supply system and the electric supply system are in a poor State of neglect and disrepair by the government and the Electricity Board.
There is a joint transmission system of BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board) and Punjab on 400 kv and 220 kv for evacuation of power from the powerhouses of BBMB and the cost sharing between Punjab Haryana and Rajasthan works out to be approximately 483220 respectively
Punjab‘s right has been totally ignored on the 400 kv system. Dehar Power plant has an installed capacity of 990 megawatts and Punjab has a share of 48% in this. A400ky line evacuates the power to Bhiwani. A double circuit 220 kv line evacuates power to Ganguwal and even out of this a single circuit line goes to Jagadhari Pipli and Panipat. The remaining power flows to Ludhiana Sangrur and Hissar. Thus it can be seen that Haryana and Rajasthan can evacuate full Dehar plant power and Punjab can evacuate only about 200 m watts against its share of 5050 of approximately 480 kv. Full justice could have been done had a 400 Kv line been brought to Goraya or Jullundur and thus overcoming the low voltage problems created now. Another 400 kv sub-station has been built at Samayapur near Faridabad and Punjab has been forced to pay 48% cost of this without any benefit to it.
On the 220 kv system Punjab has been given three substations i.e. Ludhiana Jullundur and Sangrur whereas Haryana has nine sub-stations Border areas i.e. Amritsar Gurdaspur and Ferozepore have been completely ignored by the Govt of India. Full share of power cannot flow from Ludhiana to Jullundur.
Punjab Govt is now developing a 220 kv system for its areas But the expenditure on transmission is not adequate under the normal rule a 5050 expenditure is incurred on generation transmission and distribution. In some countries like South Korea the ratio is 402040 of generation transmission and distribution respectively. In Punjab the present ratio is about 7030. This creates evacuation problems from power houses and low voltages in distribution.
Even with an expenditure of 70% the coal handling plant of Ropar Stage II is not complete with the result that the full plant cannot be used continuously. The fifth unit has been delayed as the station of unit 4 of RTP was damaged and the station of unit 5 has been cannibalized.
There is trouble in Bhatinda Power plant also with the result that MVARs are not being supplied to the system which results in low voltage.
Due to shortage of funds for the transmission system the planned lines to Jullundur and other stations have been delayed thus resulting in poor voltage at Jullundur and Amritsar areas. Similarly augmentation of sub-station and transformers has been effected thus damaging the transformers and creating low voltage problems.
There is a shortage of MVAR in the Northern region as states of UP Haryana Delhi and Rajasthan have not installed the full share of capacitors in their respective areas. This results in over loading of transmission lines and Punjab being at the tail end of the system receives the lowest voltage.
The distribution system of PSEB has suffered due to shortage of funds. It has long 11 kv and 400 volt lines which leads to further low voltage and interruptions of Supply to consumers. Most of 11 kv lines have interruptions of 20 to 30 tripping’s a day as a normal feature. The staff being lazy does not patrol the lines and normally switch off the supply from the gang operating switch to avoid a record of long interruptions on the sub-station records. This reduces the supply hours to five or six hours a day instead of 10 to 12 hours as recorded and claimed by the Electricity Board. This is a fraudulent practice.
The size of the distribution transformers in the rural areas is being increased from 25 kva to 63 kva and 100 kva transformers to save money. This in turn leads to long LT lines and fall in voltage. The staff of PSEB encourages the villagers and industrialists to steal energy from these 100 kva and 63 kva transformers. The police paramilitary and army personnel steal this energy by use of brute force. Each of the transformers caters to 15 to 20 and even more consumers and addition of direct connections is not objected to buy them If only 25 kva transformers are used there would be four to five tube well consumers only who will feel responsible for the safety of the same This will lead to better voltage and reduce the damage to transformers. It is felt that this year the damage to transformers will increase and loss due to this will be to the tune of 50 crores which is an avoidable loss.
In the border areas about 16000 theft connections were regularized as ‘kundi’ connections. Full cost of line and transformers was recovered and an amount of Rs. 10 crores was deposited with the Board. The Board has utilized this Rs. 10 crores for other works perhaps on power houses instead of erecting proper lines and substations for the consumers. The old lines used by the consumers are not of proper design and these lead to accidents and low voltage. An enquiry is required to be held as to why the Board has not completed the works for which the full cost has been recovered.
To overcome the above difficulties the following remedial measures are suggested.
(a) The Boards should reduce the 11 kv tripping’s by constantly patrolling the lines and sectionalizing these. Officers and staff must stay at their headquarters and be available in the colonies for removal of faults at all hours. All staff members who are preoccupied in side businesses such as stone crusher’s part time teachers farming etc. should be posted out. Staff of any line having more than five tripping’s in a month should be charge-sheeted for negligence.
(b) To reduce damage to transformers and to improve voltage only 25 kva transformers should be used and loaded up to 80% only. To improve the protection and save the transformers from damage the 11 kv fuses should be placed above 11 kv gang operating switch so that only authorized persons can replace the fuse after obtaining permit to work on the line Normally the permit to work on the line should be given in the off hours of the line i.e. when the tube wells in the area are not working. LT capacitors should be provided by the Board on all tube well motors to reduce power losses.
(c) On the grid sub-stations the Board has been taking a risk by providing only one transformer to save money which gets overloaded and no time is available for maintenance. To avoid damage to these transformers every sub-station should have two transformers so that proper maintenance can be carried out and emergencies can be met the augmentation of the transformers planned for the last few years have been postponed due to shortage of funds and has led to increase in damage to power transformers
(d) The shortage of capacitors on grid substations should be made good and the damaged capacitors replaced.
(e) The transmission lines have been neglected A double circuit 220 kv line from Ropar Thermal plant to Jullundur and a double circuit 220 kv line from Bhakra to Jullundur should be completed on war footing. These lines are in hand but have been delayed due to diversion of funds.
You are requested to take up the following problems with the Government of India.
(a) There is a 15% reserve quota in central projects. Punjab has been given a share out of this but this has been stopped during Presidential rule. This should be restored so that the paddy and cotton crops can benefit.
(b) Punjab should get its share from Anta and Aurya gas plants.
(c) Punjab’s share from Narora (UP) atomic power plant is obtained.
(d) National Thermal Power Corporation istoerecta400kv sub-station at Malerkotla This may be expedited.
(e)National Hydro Electric Power Corporation is to erect a 400 kv sub-station at Moga. This be expedited so that power from Chamera can be used in Punjab as soon as this Power House is commissioned
(f) A 400 kv sub-station is planned near Jullunduron Chamera-Mogaline. This substation is being delayed for clearance by the Centre. This be got approved from the Govt of India and NHPC be asked to commission it along with the ChameraMoga line.
The Board be directed to complete the 220 kv lines from the above 400 kv substation to Amritsar and other border areas.
The Board is heavily staffed and a committee be constituted to fix new norms and rationalize its working. I would also recommend more automation and putting up satellite sub-stations in the rural areas so that 24 hours power is available for the rural population To overcome the current power shortage you will have to think of drastic steps.
You may think of suspending Chief Engineers whose areas receive poor power supply and initiating disciplinary action against them. Irrigation facilities are improved. For instance the Patti Sub-division of Amritsar district neither receives electric power nor irrigation water supply. The irrigation department refuses to look after this sub-division and the Deputy Commissioner has shown his helplessness. The population of this area is not allowed to tend to their crops by the BSF and army personnel. They are searched and humiliated. At night if they complain to the Board for electricity cut the BSF personnel are too scared to accompany the power men to the damage site Otherwise without the BSF or the army’s permission no one is allowed to venture out after dusk.
Cowardice corruption and inefficiency on the part of the Govt is making the people suffer. Presidential rule is meant to bring in efficiency and to tone up the administration Five years of Presidential rule has in effect made the administration lackadaisical and corrupt. It is not answerable to the people or to you the Centre’s representative.
Like Yugoslavia where the Prime Minister has admitted that the Military is acting without political direction here too you have been saying that the army has no administration duties but incidents at Nathu ke Burj Lopoke Rataul and Sanga have proved that the Indian army has seized control.
I have been visiting rural areas and the army is billeted in rest houses hospitals and schools and everywhere they steal electricity rob the people and terrorize entire populations by illegal searches detentions and killing innocent people in fake encounters. The Indian state is very sensitive to any criticism of the Indian army. The Ministry of External Affairs reacted with anger when the U.S. Congress wanted the aid bill to have a clause asking the Indian Govt to have lessons in human rights read out to defence personnel. All modem armies have such courses and since you reached the top slot in the Indian army you must certainly know that the German army the Bundeswehr too has a political code and this was done in 1956 to keep the armed forces in the political mainstream. Called innere Fuhrung (moral leadership) it emphasizes civilian control and democratic values. Gen. Schonbohm who heads the Bundeswehr says “Innese Fuhrung is based on our constitution and human rights. We are soldiers in a democratic society and the soldier is a citizen in a uniform”. Therefore it is very necessary that the Indian army paramilitary forces police and the bureaucrats learn this lesson and respect the rule of law and democratic norms.
I have read in the press that Bhajan Lal Chief Minister of Haryana has asked for the Indian army’s help to build the SYL canal. You are aware that the Indian Constitution has no provision under which Lal can seek such assistance Law and order is a state subject and so are river waters under article 246 of the Constitution. As such without the approval of the state Govt Lal can make no such demand unless there has been a secret agreement already between the Punjab and Haryana Governments. Since neither you nor the Punjab Govt has contradicted Lal’s statement it appears that Punjab is going to be robbed of its natural resources. I want to place it on record that if water is going to be sent forcibly to Haryana there will be confrontation between the Indian army and the Sikhs I want to leave you in no doubt about this.
I have also travelled extensively in the sub-mountainous areas of the Punjab. The Dhar bloc and kandi areas have no drinking water facilities. There are no lift irrigation facilities. There are no schools or hospitals or dispensaries. Areas which have hospitals or dispensaries have no doctors or medical Staff. There is stark poverty in these areas and the people have to pay double the bus fares than what others living in the Punjab Pay This is discrimination and though my Party has represented to you on this count the Govt has not brought down the bus fares to put them on par with the rest of Punjab. The Thien Dam oustees should have Rot some employment with the Dam authorities. There is so much red tapism and corruption that very few people have been employed and there is total disillusionment amongst the masses A sarpanch told me that when you hang a person you give him the best diet and the food of his choice but here no one bothers The Secretaries to Govt the Deputy Commissioners and police officers do not tour the rural areas and because the Hindu State will not restore democracy the Govt receives no feedback Funds meant for development go into the _ pockets of the army officers and bureaucrats. The roads have not been repaired and no officer has inspected the embankments or bands and the monsoon is upon us and if there are breaches and the countryside is flooded there is no one to shoulder the responsibility.
It’s a sad state of affairs. The Congress is back in power at the Centre the very party which began the genocide of the Sikhs It has already stalled the democratic process and made plans to rob Punjab of its natural resources. There is no one to speak for the Punjab. The Speakers for the House of the People will be elected without Sikh participation and we had no voice in the selection of the Prime Minister.
Punjab is a colony and the Sikhs are slaves. We have no choice but to seek our independence and a separate sovereign state. Estonia has offered the Soviet state one billion American dollars to buy its independence. The Sikh too are willing to pay a price for their freedom.
The Indian economy is in dire straits. Too much corruption HDW submarine Bofors Mirage oil fodder machines deals UPSC paper leaks and the like have eaten into the moral fiber of the state. The Hindu seeks individual perfection and has loyalty only to himself his family and his caste. He cannot think of the society or the nation. The great English philosopher J.S.Mills wrote a hundred years ago that a Hindu is incapable of imbibing democratic institutions because of the inbuilt characteristics mentioned above. In contrast the Sikhs are a democratic people who believe in the Commonwealth. Sangat and Pangat are two primary Sikh institutions. Every day the Sikhs pray for Sarbat da Bhala prosperity and progress for all humankind.
Thus there is a fundamental clash between the Hindu state and the Sikh nation. As such our psyche cannot understand how Indira Gandhi and now Rajiv Gandhi who committed the genocide of the Sikhs and were charged with corrupt practices particularly Bofors which is still fresh in our minds and their heirs who have massive wealth abroad could receive Bharat Ratnas. Or for that matter Vallabhai Patel who as India’s first Home Minister categorized all Sikhs as a criminal community and refused to acknowledge the promises made to the Sikhs by the Hindu Congress party in 1929 at the Lahore session of which he was a prominent member.
Hindus have practiced deceit lies and chicanery in dealing with us and today we know how the Hindu mind works. Elections can be held in Assam which has militancy because it is a Hindu majority state Elections cannot be held in Punjab and Kashmir because they are Sikh and Muslim majority states. What kept India together these past 44 years were British laws rules and practices written and interpreted by British trained Hindu civil servants. What cannot keep India united today is the Hindus individualism corruption and refusal to dispense justice or to believes in and practices the rule of law. Hindu India condemns apartheid in South Africa but practices it in Punjab Kashmir and against the aboriginal peoples the advises. It calls for elections and the revival of the democratic process in Fiji because the Hindus stand to benefit there but denies the Sikhs and Muslims participation in the democratic process in the Punjab and Kashmir.
We now understand the guile practiced by the Hindu rulers. The shameless faceless Indian state must realize that we must face the moment of truth and call a spade a spade. As Rudyard Kipling wrote “The east is east ‘and the west is west and the twain shall never meet.
We are at this historic juncture. The Sikhs cannot live for a moment with in the Hindu fundamental civil civic human cultural religious and democratic rights. We must sit and negotiate our separate independent and sovereign entities so that we live as nations having respect for one another where one does not dominate the other and there is a buffer between the warring Hindu and Muslims civilizations and their beloved subcontinent is spared a nuclear holocaust. As I have said earlier like Estonia we are willing to offer the Indian state money to buy our independence. We are also aware of the secret talks going on in Switzerland. Intelligence agencies cannot conduct conclusive negotiation and as such we must talk politically and openly.
Simranjit singh Mann
President Akali Dal (M)
Article extracted from this publication >> August 16, 1991
