JAC opposes state govt’s decision to hand over department of Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited to private firms

The local village heads of Umsning areas led by the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong Ri Bhoi District along with three prominent pressure groups formed the Joint Action Committee (JAC) and opposed the proposal of the state government to hand over the department of Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) Umsning Division to private firms.

In this regard, the JAC held a meeting with the concerned stakeholders organized by the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong in Ri Bhoi District which was attended by the local Rangbah Shnong of Umsning areas and the leaders of the Khasi Students Union such as the Hynñiewtrep National Youth Front, the Federation of Khasi Jaintia & Garo People's among others.

During the meeting, all the concerned persons like BB Makdoh, President of the SKRS, PB Sylliang Secretary, Ferdynald Kharkamni president of the KSU, Marcus Marten president of the HNYF and others thoroughly discussed on the matter pertaining to the proposed franchising the power department of Umsning Division to private firm and later decided to strongly oppose the move of the state government.

Addressing the Press, BB Makdoh and Ferdynald Kharkamni, expressed their concern over the move of the state government to hand over the MeECL Umsning Divisiona to a private firm which may pose a hardship for the local people in a later stage.

They also stated that Ri Bhoi District is one of the districts which has been generating more revenues for the state government in terms of regular electricity bills paid by the power users of the district compared to other districts of the state, but the question arises why the state government has taken the move in handing over the power department to the private firms without any public notification or public hearing.

"We opposed on the move of the state government and want that the government must clarify on this, instead privatizing the department, the government must have taken the initiatives to upgrade their power station in the state", the leaders stressed.

The Joint inspection of the power generation of Stage 1, 2, and 3 in Ri Bhoi District has been taken to conduct in days to come, and also the memorandum to the Power Minister and the Chief Engineer of the MeCEL will be submitted by the JAC, the leaders informed.