SHILLONG, June 7: Joining the brouhaha over state government’s move to lease out MePDCL’s two distribution circles — Shillong and Jowai — to Rural Electrification Corporation Power Distribution Company Limited (RECPDCL), UDP chief adviser Bindo M Lanong suggested that the government can instead form a committee with its own technocrats and experts from the state to deliberate over the matter.
In a letter to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday, Lanong said that the UDP had held consultations within the party involving some concerned community leaders.
During the forum, the leaders reflected that leasing out part of the department reflects not only ‘failure’ on part of the government but the risk factor which the government has to look into. “Be it 10, 20 or 30 years of lease, during such lease period the company’s prerogative, privileges and rights will prevail over that of the government, which will affect government control over working and running of the department. But the financial and other policies, employment aspect and control will be more in jeopardy for the priority of the company is to look first for its own interest and benefits,” Lanong said.
According to him, the priority of the company towards the government will be secondary. He, however, said that “experts with past experience will be of worthy guidance and will retain government’s say and control during the entire period, which the government will otherwise be denied during the period of lease to the company”. “For safety and interest of the government and the state in particular, I suggest that your government may look for better options available but lease should be the last option in my opinion.
We assure our full cooperation and support in government’s endeavour to protect the interest of the state and its people,” the UDP chief adviser stated.
It may be mentioned that the decision of the government to outsource the two distribution circles of the MeECL to the RECPDCL has drawn flak from several fronts with legislators from Jaintia Hills coming together in unison to oppose this move.
