SHILLONG: Irked over the “arbitrary” suspension of a technical officer, the MeECL Engineers’ Association, on Monday, staged a protest during lunch break across the state from respective offices, substations and power stations. The employees have demanded that the engineer be reinstated.
The protest also supported by the MeECL Civil Engineers’ Association, Association of Power Engineers, MeECL and MeECL Account Association.
The suspended officer, M Pohshna, resident engineer of Myntdu-Leshka Hydro Electric Project (MLHEP) stage-I, was suspended by the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Meghalaya Electricity Corporation Limited (MeECL), A Nikhla, for “negligence” in duty.
The managing director alleged that the “negligence” on the officers’ part let to the failure of two generator transformers at MLHEP stage-I power station at Suchen in West Jaiñtia Hills on August 3.
When contacted, Nikhla said that the officer was suspended as per the rules applicable to the MeECL, while adding that she is bound by the rules.
Stating that nobody has come to meet her over the issue, the MeECL chairman said that there have been several instances when officials in MeECL as well as other departments of the state government have been suspended.
Due to the failure of the transformer, the state is losing 1 million units of power every day which costs Rs 24-25 lakh per day, she said.
Earlier assurances were given to the MeECL authorities that the transformer will be repaired within few days, she added, but nothing of that sort happened.
“There was no clarity on the questions which were asked,” she said, while adding that this is not the first time that an incident like this has happened.
Last year too, unit I of stage IV of Umiam Power project had failed and it was not brought to the notice of the authorities, she said.
“Only when issues pertaining to insurance were out, the matter was revealed,” she added.
Earlier, the government had barred the agitation aiming to preventing disruption in the supply of the essential service.