SHILLONG: The diploma engineers association of NEEPCO has said the vigilance department of the Corporation has already given clearance to the promotion of diploma engineers.
In response to a news report regarding the alleged anomalies in the mass promotion of over 50 diploma engineers on May1, 2014, as revealed in the findings of former Chief Vigilance Officer Satish Chandra Verma, the diploma engineers in a statement issued here on Tuesday said they had continuously followed up with the NEEPCO management for clearing the promotion of stagnated deputy managers to the post of manager considering the demand.
They said finally the NEEPCO management had considered promotion of 48 deputy managers (civil) and two deputy managers (electrical/mechanical) to the post of manager by the promotion order issued on May 1, 2014, by adjusting the existing sanctioned posts within the channel of diploma engineers without creating a single new post and any financial implication to the Corporation, but giving a moral boost to the stagnated diploma engineers working at NEEPCO.
“Most of the diploma engineers at NEEPCO were stagnated in the post of deputy manager (E-4), which is below the rank of manager (E-5) for more than 10 to 12 years and completed double the promotion criteria. Moreover, they are enjoying the pay scale of the next higher post i.e. manager as per the prevailing norms of the Corporation except designation,” the Association said.
It said that the diploma engineers at NEEPCO were appointed as junior engineers (S-I) and finally promoted to the post of manager (E-5) after completion of total 28 years of service in different grades.
In NEEPCO, the channel of promotion of diploma engineers is open up to the level of manager (E-5), it said and added that recruitment of graduate engineers is in the rank of engineer (E-2) and takes only nine years to get the rank of manager (E-5) whereas diploma engineers need 28 years to get the rank of manager, which is almost three times more.
According to the Association, NEEPCO is having hydro, thermal and renewable energy power projects all over the North East and most of the diploma engineers are posted in the new on-going as well as investigation projects.
“The hydropower projects of NEEPCO are generally located at such a remote place where there are no facilities for proper communication, accommodation, drinking water, market, medical and others. On the other hand, in the ongoing projects, engineers are to perform duties round the clock for more than four to five days continuously inside the tunnel or dam site,” the Association added.
