The Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL) is having more than 170 sub-stations throughout the State, out of which 40 were operating with half strength manpower and 16 are yet to be operationalised as the management has not recruited manpower to run these sub-stations.
The sub-stations are of two types – 33/11 KV sub-station with control room or manned sub-station while others are 33/11 KV sub-station without control room or unmanned sub-station.
For the manned sub-stations, manpower is required for 24×7 in three shift duty of eight hours duration. Each shift duty comprises one electrician who has completed the electrician course from Industrial Training Institute and one lineman who has a valid LT and HT electrical license.
The unmanned sub-stations are located in remote rural areas and there is no dedicated manpower for such sub-stations.
The linemen who are posted in those areas to attend maintenance and other duties are also taking care of these sub-stations.
Since these half strength and no manpower sub-stations are manned by the contractual labour which the MeECL pays them at the rate of Rs 435 per day, thus the financial involvement for recruiting manpower in one manned sub-station (8 people) is only Rs 1,07,880.
“It is not more than Rs 7 lakh per month as claimed by MeECL Chairman and Managing Director Arunkumar Kembhavi,” sources said.
Sources informed that the claim of Kembhavi that 33 KV sub-station requires junior engineers, linemen, chowkidars, cleaners, etc as appeared in one local newspaper recently was mere exaggeration and unfounded.
“There is no junior engineer post in the 33KV sub-station and there are no chowkidars or cleaners. Junior engineers are posted only in 132 KV sub-stations under Meghalaya Power Transmission Corporation Limited (MePTCL).The upkeep of 33 KV sub-stations are being taken care by the Assistant Executive Engineer of the Distribution Sub-Division under which the sub-station falls,” sources informed.
Sources also revealed that the Techno Commercial Proposal of Broadcasting Engineering Consultants India Ltd, Noida on February 19 was only for operation and maintenance and not for energy accounting and auditing as claimed by Kembhavi.
Moreover, as per the Letter of Intent (LOI) issued on February 19 by the Superintending Engineer (Projects) to Broadcasting Engineering Consultants India Ltd, nowhere it was mentioned in the terms and conditions that the company has to undertake energy accounting and auditing.
Further, the claim of the Kembhavi that the company will have to hire only local youth was not there in the terms and conditions.
“The irresponsible and false statements of Kembhavi were to hoodwink the general public as he cannot justify the merit to outsource the manpower to a private company from outside at abnormally higher costs,” sources added.
