SHILLONG, April 15: Following allegations of corruption, Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited Engineers’ Association president, Pradip K. Chullet has decided to quit as the president of the Coordination Committee of Registered MeECL (Employees) Association and Unions (CCORMAU).
“I am stepping down as president of CCORMAU on moral ground. The allegations have been made against me to malign my image and damage my reputation,” Chullet told reporters here on Thursday.
He said that he expects others facing similar charges would step down too.
Regarding the allotment of multi-crore contracts to I.S. Enterprise, Chullet said the total amount spent on LED demo projects from 2013 to March 31, 2018, was Rs. 54.15 lakh.
The major chunk of this project was allotted to Karma Enterprise for big village LED campaign for Rs. 16.88 lakh, he claimed.
“The remaining Rs 37.26 lakh was split and utilised for nine street lights/luminaires and one for village campaign for Rs 1.2 lakh. The demo projects were executed by three firms. I have filed RTI for the total value of works executed by I.S. Enterprise,” he said.
Chullet said that for dissemination of messages on energy conservation, Rs 29.07 lakh was spent on roadshows, publicity and awareness, newspaper ads, jingles on radio, printing and distribution of pamphlets, leaflets, posters, banners, hoardings, board standees, guide books for school children, cartoon calendars, etc., carrying messages on energy conservation.
“All details are contained in the audit reports done by a reputed firm of chartered accountants and there are certificates for all the five years. Based on the details that I have presented, the allegations of multi-crore contracts are totally baseless,” the MeECL Engineers’ Association president said.
On accepting quotations at an exaggerated rate of Rs. 850 for an 8-watt bulb – Rs. 600 more than the market price – and Rs. 28,700 for a 60-watt street light available at Rs 1,800, he reminded that the MRP of LED bulbs was very high when they were introduced during 2015-2016 fiscal.
Chullet said he has the price list for 2016, which said the MRPs of an 8-watt bulb and a 60-watt street light were Rs. 895 and Rs. 27,000 respectively. The rates of LED lights dropped only after the execution of the Ujala scheme implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited.
On the allegation of nepotism, he clarified that a departmental selection committee handles appointments for various posts in the Inspectorate of Electricity. This committee consists of the senior electrical inspector, the deputy electrical inspector, the deputy secretary, Power and finance and accounts officer as members and the supervising assistant as the member secretary.
“All appointments to the lower grade posts are done by this committee after following due procedures,” Chullet said.
“Another allegation is that I have allotted works to Nidamon Chullet with claims that he is my brother. He is not my brother and is from a different village although we belong to the same clan,” he said.
“The works were allotted to him on the strength of his documents,” Chullet added.
He denied knowing any Ayanla Imsu, who the reports claim is his wife. “That is not the name of my children’s mother. She never worked in the Inspectorate of Electricity,” he said.
Chullet also trashed allegations that he let relatives supply materials to MeECL in the name of I.S. Electricals.
“I have confirmed from the Material Management Department in MeECL that the proprietor of I.S. Electricals is Indira Slong, who I don’t know at all. I have the photocopy of the application of renewal of registration for supply of materials in MeECL submitted by her,” he said.
“For some years, I was posted on deputation as senior electrical inspector to the Inspectorate of Electricity, which is a government department and I have been posted again in MeECL which is a public sector unit, for few years now,” Chullet said, adding that the Inspectorate is also known as MSDA, a contraction for Meghalaya State Designated Agency.
Most of the allegations, he pointed out, relate to MSDA, which undertook the implementation of schemes and programmes of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency for creating awareness on energy conservation.
“I have consulted a lawyer and he said there is no bar for a spouse to participate in any tender. Besides, there is also no express regulation that bars any spouse from participating. Therefore, there is no conflict of interest if the general procedure of the process of tendering is followed,” the MeECL Engineers’ Association president said.
