Power Department crackdown ends with a whimper
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 15 2012:
Even as 1000 people were pulled up by the police for tapping power supply illegally, not a single chargesheet has been framed against the defaulters.
Talking to The Sangai Express, one high-ranking official of the Power Department informed that police registered 353 cases against the defaulters pulled up in the course of the drive conducted by Power Department against power theft and unauthorised connection.
However, the department is unable to penalise or impose fine on the defaulters under the Central Electricity Act 2003.Not a single chargesheet has been framed so far.
The officials disclosed that MLAs and Ministers have been interfering a lot.
At present, Manipur has been purchasing power to the tune of Rs 15.24 crores from power generating firms based outside the State.
But the department can collect only Rs 9.10 crores as power bills per month at the average.
This means the State is running into deficit of around Rs six crores every month.
Conceding that a number of employees of the Power Department are involved in power theft, the official lamented that any step to take up punitive action against the erring staff is met with undue interference from MLAs and Ministers.
Many a time, the department receive DO letters from many MLAs and Ministers stating that no punitive action should be initiated against the erring staff.
Given this situation, officers are reluctant to take up any action even against a line-man.
Nevertheless, Chief Minister O Ibobi who is also in charge of Power Department has taken up several measures to address the power crisis.
Former Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh has also been who is also in charge of Power Department has taken up several measures to address the power crisis.
Former Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh has also been appointed as Power Advisor to the Chief Minister.
Even if the power department is converted into a corporation, one can expect little improvement as long as MLAs and Ministers continue interfering in its functions.
"The power situation would certainly improve when the department is converted into a corporation but there should not be any undue interference from MLAs and Ministers", the official added.