Scrap LoA to UP firm: Sawkmie to govt

SHILLONG, May 16: Opposition chief whip, PT Sawkmie, has asked the state government to scrap the Letter of Approval (LoA), which has been issued to Uttar Pradesh-based firm, Broadcasting Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL), for operation and maintenance of 56 sub-stations.
Stating that the government should scrap the deal since several partners of the MDA are against it, Sawkmie has also asked of the UDP, PDF and HSPDP ministers to raise their voices against the deal.
The Opposition chief whip also maintained NGOs and Congress legislators have also expressed their dissent to the LoA issued to a firm from outside.
“We are concerned over the matter since local contractors are losing their works and local youths will not be employed by the company,” Sawkmie said.
Earlier, four pressure groups — Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Federation of Khasi-Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) and Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF) — had threatened of agitation if the state government fails to scrap the LoA issued to M/S Broadcasting Engineering Consultants Corporation Limited (BECIL) for operation and maintenance of 56 sub-stations.
They had also asked the company to refrain from taking the work.
Only last week, the NGOs had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, requesting his intervention into the matter.