SHILLONG, Aug 7: The employees, including engineers, of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) will join the nationwide protest on Monday against the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the Centre’s policy on the privatisation of the power sector.
The employees will stage a protest for one to two hours in all district headquarters.
The Coordination Committee of Registered MeECL (Employees) Associations and Unions (CCORMAU) took this decision to abide by the resolution of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE) adopted at its national convention held in Delhi on August 2, CCORMAU general secretary BK Nongkhlaw said on Sunday.
“We will hold the protest when the Centre tables the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 in Parliament,” he said.
He also said that it will be a peaceful protest during which power supply will not be disrupted.
Nongkhlaw said the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022, being brought to amend the Electricity Act 2003, will have far-reaching adverse impacts on the power sector, electricity consumers and electricity employees and engineers.
He recalled that the Centre had promised the United Kisan Morcha through a letter on December 9 last year that the Electricity (Amendment) Bill would not be introduced in Parliament without consultations with the stakeholders, including farmers.
“There have not been any such discussions till date. Now, if the central government has taken a unilateral decision to present and pass the Bill in Parliament, then it is a clear violation of the written promise given to the United Kisan Morcha,” Nongkhlaw said.
Monitor power supply to industries: TMC
The Trinamool Congress suggested that the industries operational in the state should be strictly monitored for regular payments.
“As regards the industries, there should be a check on the actual utilisation and consumption of power so that the MeECL does not get cheated and the bills that have to be paid can be recovered for the financially-ailing MeECL,” Trinamool leader George B Lyngdoh said.
He was reacting to RTI findings-based claims by the Hynniewtrep National People’s Federation (HNPF) that the big industries in Umiam and Byrnihat industrial areas have not paid their electricity bills, amounting to almost Rs 44 crore, since 2005.
He suggested that the industrial areas should be assessed from time to time to offset the accumulation of unpaid bills.
Recalling that the Opposition had opposed the discount given to them earlier, he said this was another legal freeway where the rates of industries were found to be lesser than domestic rates.
“This was challenged and the rates were restored. The attempt of the state government now to give further discount and One Time Settlement to a select few will lead to further losses for the MeECL. Such a policy encourages industries not to pay, looking for a window for another settlement or discount,” Lyngdoh said.
Claiming that the North East Industrial Promotion Policy was misused by many industries, he said an amendment was moved back then and effective measures were put in place to ensure that these fly-by night operators do not get any kind of freeway when it comes to the promotion of their illegal activities and that only the genuine industrialists remain.
