CPM files police complain against RIL top bosses

Complaint allegedly for non-restoration of power supply to Ganjam district even after five weeks of cyclone Phailin

The CPM today filed a complain against Reliance Infrastructure Limited (RIL) chief Anil Ambani, managing director of Southern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha (Southco), a unit of RIL, P K Choudhury and the head of the Central Service Office of the RIL controlled three power distribution companies in the state, A K Bohra, at BN Pur police station in Berhampur for non-restoration of power supply to Ganjam district even after five weeks of the cyclone Phailin.

Party’s state secretariat member, Ali Kishore Patnaik has lodged the complain. However, instead of recording it as an FIR, the police had registered it as a station diary. “We have registered a station diary and forwarded it the higher officers for advice,” said inspector in charge, BN Pur police station, Deepak Mishra.

RIL officials were not available for comment. However, in response to a show-cause notice by the Ganjam district collector to Southco, its MD, PK Choudhury had said, there was no laxity, wilful defiance and dereliction of duty on restoration of power in the cyclone-ravaged district. He said, the damage was very severe and hence the restoration work was taking time.

Patnaik, in his complain, said the action should be initiated under the provisions of Orissa Essential Services (Maintenance) Act 1988 against the trio. “A large part of Ganjam district is still in darkness after more than a month of the cyclone due to some man-made reasons,” he said.

The situation has become like this because the private company did not spent money for the maintenance of power infrastructures in the aftermath of the devastating cyclone in 1999. Some organisations and government officers have also pointed out the negligence of the company towards early restoration of power, he said.

Though the number of consumers of the company has increased from 2.69 lakh in 1999 to 10.82 lakh at present, there is no commensurate increase in its skilled manpower. On the other hand, it has reduced its employees’ strength, he alleged.

Meanwhile the district administration on Tuesday allowed a week’s tome to Southco to restore electricity to all the public utilities like the hospitals, pump houses, water supply systems in the district. The Southco had sought up to December 7 for restoration of powers in around 95 percent areas including public utilities.

Southco sources said, while almost all notified area council towns backed to the power, the electricity supply was restored in 348 out of 475 gram panchayats partially by last Saturday. Similarly the power supply also restored to 4.28 lakh out of 5.40 lakh consumers by the time.