Shillong, June 8: As the proposed outsourcing of management of some of the distribution circles of Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) is meeting stiff opposition from all quarters and political parties amid endless parleys in Shillong, shockingly the representatives of the Rural Electrification Corporation Power Distribution Company (REC-PDCL) on Tuesday visited the office of the corporation in Jowai, West Jaintia Hills (WJH) district.

The Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU), however, reached the MeECL office swiftly and asked the REC-PDCL employees to leave immediately, a statement issued by the Union said.
In addition, JSU president, Jersome Shylla said the Union is strongly opposed to the idea of privatisation of MeECL and its firms and threatened to resort to agitation if the state government fails to pay any heed to the Union’s demand.

The Jowai distribution circle is part of the Eastern Distribution Circle, one of the two proposed circles to be handed out to RECPDCL for management that covers the entire Jowai both Urban and Rural areas. The other circle is that of Shillong Central Distribution Circle that includes the entire Shillong area and adjoining areas under East Khasi hills District

Shylla also questioned the government as to how the REC-PDCL employees, hailing from outside the state, were allowed to freely visit Jaintia Hills during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said such unregulated entry of people could be fatal to the local people in view of the rise in COVID-19 cases.