There seems to be some unholy nexus between some MLAs of the ruling Biju Janata Dal and the State Energy Minister with the management of the private power distribution company, Southco, alleged CPI (M) leaders.
The CPI (M) leaders expressed their displeasure over recent praise of the Southco by some BJD MLAs and the State Energy Minister for the restoration work of the company after the Phailin. Power supply to almost all areas of Ganjam district had got snapped because of the cyclone. Power supply could not be restored to most areas even after one month.
The Ganjam district administration even threatened to take action against the Southco authorities under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) for its alleged criminal negligence in restoring power supply within proper time frame.
The praise of the Reliance Infrastructure managed Southco by the BJD leaders, hints at something fishy, said State secretariat member of the CPI (M) Ali Kishore Patnaik.
The State Energy Minister had praised the efforts of restoration by the Southco through a letter, while each and every citizen of Ganjam district is of the view that the company was totally unprepared for the cyclone and failed in its duty to restore power to calamity hit families in time, said CPI (M) leader Kailash Sadangi.
Several MLAs of the district also did not shy away to praise the Southco authorities in the recent Zilla Prishad meeting.
As per CPI (M) leaders, the Reliance Infrastructure, which has 51 per cent share in the Southco has not spent anything in the restoration work. Money was spent from State exchequer for the power restoration work.
Even after the super cyclone of 1999, this private power distribution company had not spent a paisa in restoration work. It did not spend anything on maintenance of power distribution network since then due to which the loss in recent cyclone aggravated.
“Now the private power distribution company is confident to get government spend around Rs. 900 crore for power restoration work while the Southco would gobble up the profits”, said Mr Patnaik. “Despite the fact that the power distribution company had failed to provide proper service to its consumers, it has started to resort to faulty billing to extract money from the natural calamity hit consumers,” Mr Patnaik said. The CPI (M) wanted the State government to initiate criminal case against the Southco for its criminal delay in restoration of power in Phailin-hit Ganjam district and recover 51 per cent of the funds spent on restoration work of power sector from the private power distribution company.
