Amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic sweeping the state with hundreds succumbing to the infection and thousands battling the infection, the entire state has extended its total curfew/ containment measures to mitigate the spread of the virus that has already caused dilemma and chaos among the poor.
The state government under the leadership of the Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Conrad Sangma pulled another string that has caused horrid consequence to the public particularly the Khasi and the Jaintia Hills region. The decision to hand over MeECL to the corporate sector through Injection Based Distribution Franchisee (IBDF) to REC Power Distribution Company Limited, which is a whole subsidiary of the REC Limited for 25 years, reflected another business game. Ironically, the corporate sector will take over the Shillong circle and the Jaintia Hills circle of MeECL (which is the Khasi and Jaintia hills region) whereas Garo Hills is exempted from the franchisee. In layman’s term, the government will sell the Khasi and Jaintia Hills to the company for distribution of power and collection of all revenues for 25 years while saving Garo hills from the corporate rule.
The MDA government, which is currently running 3 years of its term, has flaunted the public with its professional game being played endlessly witnessing coal trafficking issues, pandemic policies making issues and power crisis issues, among others.
The current trend of malfunctioned power management by the government inflicted doubts and apprehension amongst the mass. Mr. Chief Minister and Mr. Power Minister, why are you selling us? Isn’t a hefty power revenue collected from Garo Hills more than enough for the game to be a gamble? And if the two circles are to be sold to the company, what will happen to the thousands of the existing employees of MeECL from those circles? In short, the future of the power sector in the state is catastrophe.
Ridiculously, smart electrical meters are being installed in every household accordingly amidst the pandemic where MeECL personnel visiting every household doing their job as instructed by people in command prior to any hearing or awareness of the same.
It is all now to the MLAs of the Khasi and the Jaintia Hills region to fight this battle and free us from such dictatorial policy. Will the public representatives of Khasi and Jaintia Hills let Sangma’s regime to sell us for their personal interest? So far, the MDA government is already a failed one. It’s a crucial time for the chief minister and the power minister to step down and immediately cease using Khasi and Jaintia Hills as a pitch for their family business or let the new government be formed that functions in accordance with the true meaning of democracy.
OR Shallam,
Panaliar, Jowai
