Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 19 : The sudden and controversial death of Vimal Negi, General Manager (Engineering) at Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL), has raised serious concerns among engineers and employees of the corporation.
Following the incident, representatives of the Power Corporation and State Engineers' Association met with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, demanding a high-level inquiry and immediate action against the management.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Lokesh Thakur, convener of Joint action front President of the State Engineers' Association said that they have demanded a high level inquiry into the matter.
"Our primary demand was for a high-level inquiry into the death of Engineer Vimal Negi. He was a senior official, and the investigation must be conducted by the highest-ranking officials," said Thakur.
Thakur further mentioned that the Chief Minister has assured them that an inquiry will be conducted at the highest level.
"The Chief Minister has assured us that a fair investigation will take place, and top officials will handle it. For now, we are satisfied with his assurance," he added.
The second major demand from the engineers was the immediate suspension of HPPCL's management to ensure a fair and unbiased investigation.
He added, "We want the current management to be suspended immediately so that there is no scope for evidence tampering. Employees are working under immense pressure, and this needs to be addressed."
He highlighted that HPPCL projects have long been plagued with overworking issues. Engineers and employees have been forced to work late into the night without any justified reason.
"We have found that employees were made to sit until 2 AM, despite no productive outcome from the work. In some cases, employees had to wait for hours in the parking lot due to a lack of transportation facilities," he stated.
Thakur also pointed out that protests have taken place in the past against HPPCL's management, particularly against the Head of the Corporation.
"It is no secret that multiple movements have taken place against the HPPCL head. There have also been 'letter bomb' incidents exposing issues within the corporation. Everything is in the open; nothing is hidden anymore," he said.
The shocking death of Vimal Negi has intensified concerns about the working conditions within HPPCL. Employees fear that pressure and an unhealthy work environment could be key factors behind the incident. As the investigation unfolds, the engineers' association remains firm in its demands for justice and reforms within the corporation.