Editor,
I wish to draw the attention of the authorities and the general public to a matter of serious concern regarding the functioning of North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited.
NEEPCO, established in 1976 with its corporate and registered headquarters at Shillong, has over the years played a crucial role in the power sector of the North Eastern region. However, it is alarming to note that despite having a full-fledged head office in Shillong, most of its technical wings are operating from Guwahati.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, these technical departments were temporarily shifted from Shillong to Guwahati as an emergency measure. Unfortunately, even after normalcy was restored, these offices were not moved back. More concerning is the fact that, despite a directive issued by the Board of Directors of NEEPCO in May 2025 instructing the return of these departments to Shillong, the order has not been implemented to date. Departments which are shifted are: Corporate Planning, Corporate Monitoring, Operation & Maintenance, Office of CTO and its associated officer.
The apparent reason for this continued non-compliance seems to be the functioning of the Chief Technical Officer (CTO), who, despite having designated office space in Shillong, continues to operate from Guwahati along with his subordinates. This raises serious questions about adherence to organizational rules, discipline, and accountability.
Furthermore, it is observed that the Director (Finance) also largely operates from Guwahati, supported by a substantial financial team led by a Chief General Manager (Finance). Several key departments typically attached to a corporate headquarters—such as Post-Retired Medical Benefits and ERP/SAP—are also functioning from Guwahati, apparently based on administrative convenience rather than institutional propriety.
It is equally concerning that NTPC Limited, the holding company of NEEPCO, as well as the Ministry of Power, have not taken visible steps to address this situation.
Through this letter, I appeal to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, the Hon’ble Union Minister of Power, and the concerned authorities in NTPC to kindly intervene and ensure that the directives of the Board are implemented in letter and spirit, and that the integrity of Shillong as the rightful headquarters of NEEPCO is restored.
Yours etc.,
Robert
