NONGPOH, June 4: In addition to the spate of criticisms against the state government over some reforms being proposed in the power sector, pressure groups in Ri Bhoi — Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF), Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) and Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) — have registered strong opposition to the MDA Government’s decision to lease out the Umtru Power Station located near Byrnihat, which has a capacity of generating electricity to 80MW.
At the same time, they stated that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma should step down from his post if he sees privatising power stations and other assets as the only way to better state’s financial position.
The groups maintained that they will not allow any private company to take over the power station even as they warned the government against going ahead with their decision. They leaders alleged that the state government’s move to lease out power projects in the state and in Ri Bhoi to private companies is to benefit someone and not in the interest of the state. On the other hand, the pressure groups lauded the legislators from Jaintia Hills, who have collectively opposed the government’s decision of leasing out MeECL assets in Jaintia Hills to private companies.
The groups hoped that their counterparts in Ri Bhoi would follow the example set by the legislators in Jaintia Hills.
“Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma should step down immediately if he cannot rethink and has run out of ideas to run the state and hand over the chief minister’s post to other competent legislators, as privatisation of the power stations in the state will have a serious negative impact on the future of the state and its people,” the pressure groups asserted.
