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Journalism of Courage
SURAT, June 23: Some Zonal officers of the Surat Municipal Corporation SMC on Tuesday got a rude shock, when technicians of the Surat Electricity Company SEC arrived in the zonal offices armed with a High Court order to resume the maintenance work of streetlights.
After terminating the SEC8217;s maintenance contract, Municipal Commissioner S Jagadeesan had allotted the contract to six contractors, who began work from June 8.
However, the SEC moved the High Court, which on Monday quashed municipal commissioner8217;s termination of the contract and asked the civic body to maintain a status quo till the disposal of the case.
As the civic chief was away in Gandhinagar, the zonal officers fearing contempt of court opened the SEC offices, which employees of the electricity company had vacated following the termination of the contract. A zonal officer, requesting anonymity, told Express Newsline that though he had permitted employees to enter their old offices, he had asked them not to resume work, as he could not consult the commissioner.
On the corporations8217;s next move, a senior civic official said the body might appeal in the Supreme Court against the High court order.
However, the final decision will be taken by Jagadeesan, after he returns, the official added.
Predictably, Jagadeesan8217;s critics see the development as their moral victory and the civic chief8217;s personal defeat. 8220;Now the civic chief will have to justify why he terminated the contract without taking the elected wing into confidence,8221; a member pointed out.
The SEC is a professional company, which was doing a good job and had also been awarded by the corporation for its service, former mayor Fakirbhai Chauhan stated, questioning what was the need to terminate the contract.
When contacted, engineer B M Desai, incharge of electricity, said the SMC was yet to receive the court orders. Desai said the municipal commissioner was expected to return from Gandhinagar tonight and he would decide whether the SEC should be allowed to resume maintenance work or appeal in the apex court.
Chief Executive of the SEC Amitabh Thakore could not be contacted as he was out of station.
