Shillong, June 11: With an aim to improve operations of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), Meghalaya Power Minister, James K Sangma on Friday held a meeting with all the senior officers of the corporation to iron out ways to overhaul the system for increasing its efficiency, in which some major decisions were taken.

The meeting decided for immediate recruitment of bare minimum manpower to tide over acute shortage at all levels, and immediate replacement of failed transformers in urban and rural areas without the condition of 30% outstanding payment.

The operation and maintenance (O&M) for Leshka-Myntdu and New Umtru hydro projects will be suspended as well as suspension of BECIL O&M substation, instead go for complete automation for the latter.

The meeting, which was also attended by the independent director, Secretary Power, representatives of employee associations of MeECL, further decided to relook into all existing O&M contracts of all 3 utilities and capacity building of its own engineers to handle state of the art technologies, besides rationalisation of manpower across the 3 utilities.
It also decided to exhort MSERC for review of tariff for a reasonable tariff.

The Minister will also hold a regular monthly meeting to track the progress made by different utilities.

Other decisions include:
– Plans to revive 1957 Old Umtru hydro project
– Improve billing, collection efficiency. Reduce AT&C losses.
– Completion of all pending statutory and CAG audit of accounts.
– Realisation of outstanding dues from consumers.
– Fast track implementation all ongoing ADB, central schemes.