By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 23: The opposition parties slammed the state government as well as Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) on Friday, stating that their alleged inefficiency and wrong decisions will negatively impact the state exchequer.
Participating in a discussion in the Assembly on the style and functioning of the Power department, Trinamool Congress leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma expressed concern over the manner in which the state government is purchasing power.
“The manner in which it (power) was bought will lead to natural bleeding of the corporation,” Mukul warned.
He pointed out that power, which is being procured beyond the rate of Rs 4 per unit, is being sold below Rs 2 per unit.
Stating that one/third of the state’s power requirements is being purchased, he asked the government not to play politics on the matter.
The TMC stalwart questioned the government on its move to outsource billing collection to franchises from outside the state. He claimed there are significant gaps between the injected power and the active billing.
“Somebody is stealing,” he said.
He asked the government to review the matter and find a way out. He also asked it to have a political will to correct the reforms.
Earlier, he asked the government to leverage on small hydropower projects, including the second phase of Ganol hydropower project. Further, he asked it not to frighten the investors in the power sector, stating that they have plenty of options other than Meghalaya to invest.
“Let power be a sector where investment should be focused,” he insisted.
Referring to a recent CAG report, another TMC leader Charles Pyngrope lamented that MeECL has a negative net worth of Rs 2,001 crore. He slammed it for taking 5 months to give mere estimates to people for the installation of transformers.
Moving the cut motion, Mawhati MLA Charles Marngar said there are numerous complaints about irregularities in power supply in villages where people get power for only 1-2 hours a day. There is also a scarcity of linemen, he added.
Load-shedding disrupts discussion on power cuts
Call it a coincidence or reflection of the state’s power woes, a power cut occurred exactly at the time when the members of opposition parties were slamming the MeECL over frequent disruptions in power supply.
Celestine Lyngdoh, who was speaking on the issue, pointed out that power supply had been disrupted when the House itself was discussing the style and functioning of the Power department.
The Assembly has a power back up and power was restored soon after.