Nagpur: The power generation project in state through specifically constituted Maharashtra Electricity Generation Company (Mahagenco), with a view to get the state rid of load-shedding and other problems of intermittent power supply, was started at the cost of Rs 50,000 crore by the previous government of UPA, but the self-centered elements in the present government of NDA in the state are exploiting it to the extent of their whims. Even the ministers in the government are reportedly bent on handing over the project to private hands.
Mahagenco is put into loss due to inordinate delay in construction work at Koradi 660×3 (1980 MW), Bhusawal 500×2 (1000 MW) and Chandrapur 500×2 (1000 MW).
In terms of employment prospects in the state through Mahagenco, there should have been maximum priority to recruitment of the locally skilled hands or unemployed good hands from across the state, but the preference has been given to the outsiders, much against the employment-oriented notification of the Labour Ministry. The ratio of the outsiders is 80% against the ratio of locals, i.e., 20% only.
According to sources, the working hands that have been brought from outside are at the mercy of exploiters of Mahagenco. These elements earn from them lakhs of rupees in the name of ‘vasuli’ (collection) every month, by using coercive tactics against the hard-working bread-earners. It is said that the victims of such coercion and exploitation are mostly from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar.
The officials of L&T company, on the condition of anonymity, informed, now-a-days many unsocial elements are bent on causing harassment to the company-workers, and as a result the harassed workers are leaving the company and going else where, thus, putting the company into labourer-crisis. Atrocities on outside-workers and partiality with local workers are common features of Mahagenco, they said.
As regards construction-work in Mahagenco, uncountable irregularities are found in the works of laying foundation, beam-wrok, columns, footing and slabs, etc. The government-laid down norms are being violated and all attempts are being made to exploit the Mahagenco by somehow or other means.
Rajeev Ranjan Kushwaha (rajeev.nagpurtoday@gmail.com)
