Shillong, Apr 15: After allegations of graft against him the president of the Coordination Committee of Registered MeECL (Employees) Association and Unions (CCOURMAU) P. K. Chullet resigned from his post on Thursday.
“Since unfounded allegations have been made, for the dignity of the CCOURMAU and the principles that it stands for, on moral ground, I am stepping down as president. I expect others who faced similar allegations would do the same,†Shullet told reporters.
He said that the allegations against him were made to malign his image and damage his reputation.
Addressing newsmen, he said that for works less than Rs 50,000 there is a Departmental tender committee which takes the decisions.
According to Chullet this committee consists of the Senior Electrical Inspector, the Deputy Electrical Inspector, the Supervisory Assistant and the Finance and Accounts Officer who function as Financial Advisor to the Inspectorate.
“For any work more than Rs50,000, the authority to decide lies with the implementing committee which comprises the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary/Commissioner and Secretary on the chair and one member each from the finance department, the NIC, an Executive Engineer from MeECL and the Senior Electrical Inspector as member secretary,†he said.
He also informed that splitting of works is a normal process when done within the delegation of Power of the Head of the department particularly for works executed in different districts.
“This practice is prevailing in other departments as well as in MeECL,†Chullet added.
Regarding allegations of allotment of multi-crores contracts to one M/s I.S. Enterprise, Chullet clarified that during the year 2013 to March 31, 2018, the total amount spent on LED demo projects was Rs 54.15 lakhs.
He said that the major chunk of this project was allotted to M/s Karma Enterprise for Big village LED campaign at the cost of Rs 16.88 lakhs.
The remaining balance of Rs 37.26 lakhs was split and utilized for nine street lights/luminaires and one for village campaign for Rs 1.2 lakhs.
The Demo projects were executed by three firms. I have filed RTI for the total amount of works executed by M/s I.S. Enterprise.
He said that for dissemination of messages on energy conservation, an amount of Rs 29.07 lakhs was spent in road shows, publicity and awareness, newspaper ads, jingles on radio, Printing and distribution of pamphlets, leaflets, posters, banners, hoardings, board standees, guide books for school children, cartoon calendars, carrying messages on energy conservation.
Another allegation that he have allotted works to Nidamon Chullet with claims that he is his brother, he clarified that Nidamon Chullet is not his brother.
Chullet said that they belong from the same clan but hails from different villages and work were allotted to him on the strength of his documents.
On allegation linking him and his relatives to supply of materials in MeECL in the name of M/s I.S. Electricals, he said that this was “baseless and completely unfounded and fabricated.â€
“I have confirmed from the Material Management Department in MeECL that the proprietor of M/s I.S. Electricals is one Indira Slong, who I don’t know at all.,†Chullet added.