Mangalore: RTI activist exposes Mescom scams
Shreyas H S
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Mar 22: In an astonishing revelation by RTI activist P S Haneef Saheb, it has been found that Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd (Mescom) is allegedly involved in two major scams.
Haneef who held a press meet here on Saturday March 22 made two major allegations - pertaining to unauthorized power supply to Kasturba Medical College (KMC) despite a raid and related complex legal issues, and two, illegal installation and power supply to mobile towers on the rooftops of buildings.
A copy of the documents obtained through RTI Act by Haneef that ascertain the above two major frauds committed by Mescom are in the possession of daijiworld.
Hand in glove with KMC?
It may be recalled that on December 9, 2013 Mescom officials led by Mescom vigilance SP Harishchandra conducted a raid on Manipal College of Dental Sciences and Hospital based on a complaint by P S Haneef Saheb. After a day-long inspection, officials found that KMC Hospital established in the year 1995 was illegally supplying power to Manipal College of Dental Sciences and Hospital established in the year 2006. Adding to this they have been supplying unauthorized power to Manipal School and the playground as well.
After a search, SP Harischandra in a press meet on December 10, 2013 said Manipal College of Dental Sciences and Hospital and Manipal School had been using electricity from KMC Hospital since several years, and thus it had been booked and imposed penalty of approximately Rs 3.40 crore.
However, thereafter the issue died down and Mescom did not come out with any statement on whether the fine amount was paid by the college management.
Currently, Haneef has several set of document in his possession that indicate that the fine is yet to be paid by the college, as it took legal recourse and produced seemingly fraudulent statements before the court.
KMC has been putting up a defense claiming that since the dental college, Manipal School and playground are in the same premises the supply is legal. The permission for the power supply was taken in the year 1995 and the supply was given to the hospital from HT no. 64 with 250KVA of load. Hence the permission to additional loads granted (200KVA on 17/5/ 2000, 300KVA on 22/8/2006 and 200KVA on 10/5/2010) was also legal.
However, Haneef contends that the statement issued by the KMC to Mescom is 'fraudulent', and despite knowing this, Mescom rather than taking action, allowed KMC to go to the court. Moreover, soon after the raid, the KMC wrote a letter to the Mescom claiming that the KMC Hospital and the dental college were in the same building, but an RTI from Mescom states that the dental college is behind KMC, Attavar.
Even if KMC and the dental college are in separate buildings in the same premises, permission should be sought from Mescom to extend the power supply from one building to another, says Haneef, adding that extensive cabling was done from one building to another without permission. He further says that despite being aware of the irregularity here, the Mescom ignored the issue of illegal cabling during its raid.
Haneef further said that the court in its order dated to January, 3 2014 gave an interim relief of 30 days (power should not be discontinued) to the KMC and directed the Mescom (assessment authority of the case) to decide the fine after conducting the necessary procedures.
According to Haneef, Mescom brought down the fine amount to Rs 2,10,52,365 as against the earlier approximate sum of 3.40 crore. Haneef insisted that the Mescom was hand in the glove with the MCC, and due to this the fine was reduced by assessing in a wrong manner. Mescom also gave KMC another chance to appeal before Chescom (Chamundeshwari Electricity Company), in case the KMC was unhappy over fine structure.
Haneef also wrote a lengthy letter to Mescom assistant executive engineer, Sunil Monteiro requesting him that he (Haneef) should be allowed to implead before the proceedings. But the AEE did not reply to his detailed letter that sought to justify his right to implede as the complainant. Earlier, Mescom vigilance had raided the college based on his complaint.
Expressed his disappointment over the denial of his right to implede, he alleged that Mescom has breached the law by denying his rights. He said he would move the court to put an end to all the irregularities and to get the illegal power supply disconnected.
When daijiworld contacted Mescom assistant executive engineer Sunil Monteiro to respond to Haneef's allegations, he said he has no authority to comment on it. Similarly, Mescom MD Govindappa too declined to comment.
Mobile towers on rooftops of buildings
Haneef also provided documents to prove that permission has not been granted to supply power to mobile towers erected on top of the buildings in the city for a period of four years(2010-2013). The details taken through RTI from the inspectorate of electricity, stated that from four years the department has not given permission to supply power to the mobile towers.
Haneef says that despite having no permission, Mescom has been supplying power to the towers. "This according to the law is illegal. What made the Mescom supply this power?" he questioned.
When daijiworld contacted chief inspectorate of electricity, Bangalore, D H Basavaraju, he said the department does not permit supply power to the towers erected on rooftops and hence all such towers installed now were unauthorized. As per the law, licence cannot be issued to mobile companies to erect such towers, he asserted.
Irregularities in promotion
Alleging irregularities found in promotion of Mescom staff, Haneef said those who had joined as temporary employees after just passing, or sometimes not even passing, SSLC and PUC, have been promoted to the post of junior engineers. With regard to this he has collected as many as 60 such cases from three districts of Chikmagalur, Shimoga and Mangalore.
When press persons quizzed him on whether Mescom may have promoted them on the basis of their experience, he said, though they have experience they have no qualification to obtain such posts.
He also said during the road widening work, Mescom did not take permission from the inspectorate of electricity to change the spot to erect electric poles and to install new poles.
"If suitable action is not taken against those who are guilty, I will move court to put an end to Mescom's irregularities," he said.
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