The Khasi Students Union (KSU) today said that the NEEPCO head office has been unceremoniously shifted to Guwahati from Shillong even as on various occasions officials have denied the move.
The KSU said there are two office orders that point to the move of shifting the office alongside denials by the NEEPCO management.
“B. Maharana, Director (Finance) had denied shifting of any offices from Shillong to Guwahati in the month of January, 2022 but apparently an office order no: 1038 dated 25.06.2022 testify that O/o Executive Director (Operation and Maintenance), O/o Executive Director (Contract and Procurement), O/o Executive Director (Corporate Project Monitoring) has been shifted to Guwahati along with a section of Information & Technology (IT) and Finance,” the KSU said.
Similarly, while Union Minister of Power and Heavy Industry, Krishan Pal Gujjar during his visit to Nongpoh stated that the head office would remain in Shillong and officials to function too, the KSU said that contrary to his statement a group of Senior Management employees influenced the then Chairman, V. K. Singh to shift offices from Shillong. “It is evident from the office order no: 1038 dated 25.06.2022 that Mr. V. K. Singh approved shifting of offices on 19.05.2022 just before his retirement.”
Furthermore, the KSU said that NEEPCO has hired an office building in Guwahati and paying a monthly rent of Rs. 5, 30, 479.00 to M/s Kamal Jail, Punit Jain, Nikhil Jain and Biswajit Talukdar since March, 2021 despite having its own establishment at Shillong.
These issues were also flagged by the KSU in letters to Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, Union Power Minister, R. K. Singh and Union DONER minister, G. Kishan Reddy today.
“It is apparent that NEEPCO Management not only misled the Ministry of Power, but also the people of Meghalaya too,” the KSU said.
The union complain that the Chairman, Directors of NEEPCO and key officials are functioning from Guwahati while the retired Chairman, V. K. Singh hardly attended head quarter ever since their appointment and that the trend is still continuing, as officials make occasional visits.
Moreover, NEEPCO has its official residence for Chairman and Directors at Shillong but the official quarter has been abandoned since 2020. “This is a kind of misuse of power and resources will add extra establishment expenses for the Corporation which has to be borne by the common people,” the KSU added.
The KSU urged the union ministers to intervene into the matter as shifting of NEEPCO will have a direct impact on employment opportunities and also tantamount to discrimination to the people of Meghalaya.
“There is no such precedent available that organizations set up under North Eastern Council (NEC) have been shifted to any other place from its actual establishment,” the KSU said.
Calling for appointment of a regular CMD & Director (Technical) in NEEPCO the union also raised the issue of shortage of power due to man-made disaster in Kopili Power Station and Khandong Power Station in Dima Hasao District, Assam.
