Ardent asks coalition partners to serve ultimatum to Govt over MeECL issue

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 20, 2021

Former Nongkrem legislator Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit has asked the coalition partners of the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government to issue an ultimatum for dropping the idea of privatization of the MeECL.

“It would be highly appreciable if partners of the MDA government, issue an ultimatum that the idea of privatization of the MeECL whether partly or wholly should be dropped altogether,” Basaiawmoit, who is also the convener of the Revolution Iada La Ka Ri, said in a statement issued on Thursday.

He said state government was compelled to put on hold its decision to go ahead with handing over the management of 56 sub-stations to M/s Broadcasting Engineering Consultants Corporation Limited (BECIL) after the political parties supporting the government have expressed their feelings about the present state of affair in the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited.

The former legislator said however, it remains to be seen whether the steps taken by the government were only to appease the various stakeholders or a sincere attempt to address the problem.

“No matter what happens, the issue would not have lingered on for so long, had partners in this coalition government been serious about the intention of the management of MeECL to gradually hand it over to private parties,” he asserted.

He also added it would also not have been necessary for private individuals and various NGOs to raise this issue, if constituents of the present ruling dispensation are serious and seized of the matter.

Meanwhile, Basaiawmoit said that his statement is also a reminder to those who are in the helm affairs, that they are answerable to the people and cannot fool them.