SEC rebuts charges

SURAT, June 16: A day after the Surat Municipal Corporation accused the Surat Electricity Company of sabotaging power supply by cutting wire...

SURAT, June 16: A day after the Surat Municipal Corporation accused the Surat Electricity Company of sabotaging power supply by cutting wires, the SEC has turned the tables on the SMC, alleging that it was accusing the electricity company because it had failed to develop the infrastructure to maintain the system.

In advertisements issued to local dailies to rebut the charge of sabotage 8212; triggered allegedly by the civic body8217;s termination of the streetlight maintenance contract 8212; the SEC said, 8220;The allegation is baseless. It is an attempt to malign the SEC.8221;

Talking to Express Newsline, an SEC official said, 8220;We were contracted to look after the streetlights for an annual sum of Rs 3.62 crores in 1992, though we were the second-lowest bidders. For all of two-and-a-half years, the SMC never complained about our performance. In fact, we were even given a trophy for good work, and former Mayor Ajit Desai acknowledged publicly that our service was the best.

8220;Though we have technically qualified staff and good infrastructure, all of a sudden, the SMC terminated the contract without assigning any reason. We learnt only in court that the grounds were our high rates. But then, our services included labour charge and material. If the SMC felt that way, it could have told us, we could have negotiated it.8221;

The official added that if the Ahmedabad Electricity Company was charging less, it was because the material there was supplied by the municipal corporation.

8220;The SMC is projecting the SEC as a villain to gain sympathy. Why should we sabotage power supply?8221;, he asked. 8220;In fact, streetlights have been unattended for almost a week 8212; ever since the SEC contract ended 8212; and the rains have led to the present situation. The SMC doesn8217;t know the capabilities of the contractors it has employed.8221;

When asked whether the SMC had the manpower and expertise required to maintain 18,000 streetlights in the city, Municipal Commissioner S Jagadeesan said, 8220;The decision to terminate the contract was taken after examining all aspects. In any case, the SMC will be using the service of labourers employed by the SEC8221;.

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SEC officials indicate that some of the 180 workers involved in streetlight maintenance might be asked to leave.