PDF threatens stern action over Govt’s move to privatise MeECL

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 7, 2021

The People’s Democratic Front (PDF) has threatened to take stern decisions if the state government fails to scrap the proposal of leasing out the MeECL distribution circles to the Rural Electrification Corporation Power Distribution Company.

“If the state government bypasses the will of the people, the PDF will take stern action,” PDF president and cabinet minister Banteidor Lyngdoh told journalists on Monday.

He said the party is totally against the state government’s move to lease the distribution circles of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeEC) to a company from outside the state.

“(Therefore), we will continue to oppose this as it is the life and death of the people of the state especially for the staff which have been working in the MeECL for past many years now,” Lyngdoh said.

The PDF, which is supporting the National People’s Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, has 4 MLAs in the 60-member House.

The Agriculture minister also informed that during the cabinet meeting chaired by the chief minister Conrad K Sangma last week, almost all the ministers have also expressed strong reservations against the proposal.

Due to this, the chief minister has decided to again call the state cabinet to further discuss and take a final call on the issue.

“We are hopeful from the party and it is also my personal view that when the cabinet meets (again) on Wednesday, this issue will be scrapped once and for all,” Lyngdoh said.

The PDF chief however refused to give a direct reply to a query if the PDF is ready to severe ties with the MDA government and said, “We are here for the people of the state and if there is anything against the people of the state, we have to take strong action.”

“We have to call a party meeting to decide. I tell you from the party’s point of view by any means we will not allow this to happen for the interest of the people of the state,” he said adding “Everything will be discussed again and the cabinet will take a final decision on this.”

Meanwhile, the PDF president said that the party would also meet the Chief Minister to request him to end the illegal coal trade in the state.

He said the party is very much against illegal coal mining and the same has been raised before the leader of the state from time to time.

“I don’t know why this thing happened again but it is not easy for the government to check everywhere because East Jaintia Hills is a big district and illegal mining is taking place everywhere but this (coal mine accident) is second time it has happened so we are not happy,” Lyngdoh said.

The minister said that he had also urged the chief minister to ensure that the government is stricter on this issue.

Asked, Lyngdoh admitted that scientific mining of coal is the need of the hour “We should start scientific mining as illegal mining keeps happening and due to which we have lost so many precious lives. We don’t want to see such incidents happening in the future. So we will discuss with the CM again, maybe this week or next week,” he said.