Editor,
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, as a responsible citizen of the State. I wish to draw the urgent attention of the concerned authorities and the general public to a matter that threatens the effective functioning and long-term sustainability of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), the lone public sector utility responsible for power generation, transmission, and distribution in the state.
It has come to light that a significant number of sanctioned posts, particularly at the entry level, such as Assistant Engineers, Junior Engineers, and other technical personnel, have remained vacant for more than six years. These vacancies have arisen primarily due to the retirement, superannuation, or unfortunate demise of employees while still in service. In fact, the number of such personnel lost in recent years exceeds 1000 employees. Despite this alarming figure, MeECL has not taken the necessary steps to fill these posts through regular appointments.
It is very sad to learn that the MeECL Management always comes up with excuses like financial problems to justify the non-filling of vacancies with regular employees. This explanation has been repeated time and again without any concrete roadmap to resolve the underlying staffing crisis. It is also disheartening to observe that many higher-level engineering posts are being managed by assigning additional charges to officers already burdened with responsibilities. In many cases, a single officer is tasked with overseeing two to three separate areas, which has inevitably led to a decline in efficiency and output.
This continued non-filling of sanctioned posts has created a serious operational vacuum within the Corporation. The problem is compounded by the fact that the number of electrical installations and electric consumers has increased manifold across the State in recent years. The existing workforce is stretched to its limits, leading to inefficiencies, delays, and reduced quality of service. If this trend is allowed to continue, MeECL may soon find itself unable to function effectively in many areas due to an acute shortage of manpower.
The Management’s claim that regular appointments would worsen the Corporation’s financial health is not only questionable but also misleading. The salaries previously paid to retired or deceased employees are no longer an expenditure, and the current payments made to contractual staff are not significantly lower than what would be required for regular staff. Therefore, employing regular employees would impose either no additional burden or a marginal one, while delivering long-term stability, commitment, and quality of service.
It must be emphasized that these are not new posts being requested, but long-sanctioned vacancies that are crucial to the functioning of the Corporation. MeECL remains one of the few Public Sector Undertakings in the state that continues to deliver essential public services while contributing to the state’s revenues. Its decline due to poor workforce planning would be a serious loss to both the Government and the people.
As the power sector evolves, driven by renewable energy, modernization of the grid, and rising consumer demands the Corporation needs a strong, technically sound, and dedicated human resource base. Without it, even the best technology or infrastructure cannot achieve results.
This is a wake-up call to the Government of Meghalaya and all stakeholders. Filling up the vacant posts with regular employees will not only create much-needed employment opportunities for the youth of the State, but it will also strengthen the organization internally. Further, it will instill a sense of ownership, accountability, and stability among employees, the key ingredients for MeECL’s long-term success.
I sincerely urge the authorities to initiate a transparent, fair, and time-bound recruitment process for all sanctioned technical posts. This critical step will ensure uninterrupted power supply, improved efficiency, and enhanced service delivery to the citizens of Meghalaya.
Name withheld on request
