SHILLONG, June 8: The NPP-led MDA government seems to be walking on a tight rope as far as the issue of outsourcing the MePDCL distribution circles is concerned with its ally, the United Democratic Party (UDP), making it amply clear that they would not settle for anything less than scrapping of the project.
“The party is of the opinion that good sense will prevail and the government of the day will scrap the proposal as they are against public interest and the state as a whole and is likely to have serious ramifications in future”, UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said on Tuesday.
Asked about the party’s stand if the government goes ahead with the proposal, the UDP general secretary refrained from a direct comment and said that the issue does not the concern the UDP but the public at large and it is only in the fitness of things that the voice of the majority is heard.
Meanwhile, UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh questioned how the CM, Power Minister and few officials can take a decision endangering the future of the MeECL without the knowledge of the Cabinet.
“None of the three Cabinet ministers from Jaintia Hills are aware about the proposal to engage a distribution franchisee of the Eastern Distribution Circle of the MePDCL forcing them to openly oppose the proposal,” Lyngdoh said on Tuesday.
“How can such a major decision be taken in a hush-hush manner without consulting the ministers and MLAs representing the two districts of Jaintia Hills which will be affected by this decision,” Lyngdoh said.
Besides the UDP, four pressure groups — KSU, FKJGP, HNYF and RBYF — have expressed their strong resentment over the proposal to outsource the two distribution circles of the MePDCL.
Terming it as a move to sell out MeECL, FKJGP general secretary, Dundee Cliff Khongsit said that it was the duty of the state government and Power department to review the overall the functioning of the MeECL and take steps for a turnaround.
“The government should consider an independent inquiry to find out the irregularities and discrepancies which has affected the functioning of the MeECL,” Khongsit said, while making it clear that they would continue to oppose the proposal to engage distribution franchisee.
