KATHMANDU, May 25: It has been found that senior officials of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), including Managing Director Rameshwar Yadav, were involved in unauthorized supply of electricity to more than a dozen industries, causing losses worth millions of rupees to the government, a latest report says.
The report submitted by the high-level probe committee formed by the government has named officials involved in irregularities at the five different load distribution centers of NEA along the Itahari-Biratnagar industrial corridor. The officials were involved in such unlawful activities since August 2006, the report says.
According to the report, Yadav had permitted round-the-clock electricity supply to Pashupati Simpack, Shivam Plastic and Kamala Rolling Mills when he was the general manager of NEA in February 2011. Yadav, however, couldn”t be contacted for comments.
According to an official involved in the investigation, irregularities in five different load distribution centers have caused loss of around one million per day to NEA.
Some of the officials involved in such activities have already retired from NEA. The report says former general managers Shyam Bahadur Shrestha, Deepak Upadhaya and Yugal Kishore Shah, who have already retired from NEA were also involved in the irregularities.
According to the report, Shrestha had permitted round-the-clock power supply to Reliance Spinning Mills in 2006 and Upadhya to Arihanta Multi Fibers, Raghupati Jute Mills and Nigale Cement, Dhankuta. Similarly, Shah had permitted round-the-clock power supply to Hulas Wire Industries.
Sudhir Prasad Singh, regional director of NEA has also been found involved in illegal supply of electricity to industries along the corridor.
The government had formed the probe committee after it was revealed that NEA”s load distribution centers in Itahari, Duhabi, Dhankuta and Siraha illegally supplied electricity to 14 firms along the Itahari-Biratnagar industrial corridor even during load-shedding hours.
The probe committee was led by Deputy Director General of the Department of Electricity Development Sundar Shyam Shrestha.
The probe committee submitted the report to energy secretary Hari Ram Koirala a week ago. “However, the ministry has returned the report to NEA asking it to carry out a detailed investigation,” a source at the ministry told Republica.
Source : Republica
