Shillong, Apr 22: The post of Director, Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL) had remained vacant for almost a year and the employees have even written to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma urging his intervention to fill up the post at the earliest.
However, according to sources, the State government is delaying the matter as Power Minister James Sangma wanted to appoint a junior most Chief Engineer as Director MePDCL.
Sources said that for the last many months after the retirement of the previous Director, four senior Chief Engineers with good credibility and track record have been ignored by the government and have not been appointed even though the name of three senior most Chief Engineers has been recommended by MeECL Corporate Affairs to the Power Department for the post of Director, MePDCL.
It was learnt that the power minister is favouring a Chief Engineer who has just been promoted to the post as recently as March last year by superseding his senior. This time too he will be superseding five senior Chief Engineers who have been promoted three years back and belong to both Electrical and Civil Engineering wings.
Speaking to this newspaper, several MeECL employees said by depriving local engineers for the post of Director, MePDCL, the government has shown its bias towards them.
“It seems the power minister wants to appoint a person who is willing to toe his line,” the employees said.
They also alleged that the power minister was instrumental in the transfer of the then serving Director (Distribution) as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Government of Meghalaya, since this Director was not in line with the minister on matters related to implementation of the Saubhaagya Scheme.
With many controversies and alleged scams in MePDCL, many employees felt that appointment of a new Director should be based on merit and seniority and not the one who is a blue-eyed boy of those at the helm of affairs.
