NESO storms NEEPCO HQs, demands punishment against CMD

Shillong, Aug 04 (UNI) The North East Students' Organisation (NESO) today stormed the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) headquarters here and demanded the UPA government punish its Chairman cum Managing Director Subhash Chandra Sharma.

The NESO demand assumed significance in the backdrop of Mr Sharma submitting his resignation letter to the Union power ministry on August one.

Union Minister in-charge Power, Sushil Kumar Shinde had accepted the resignation, official sources said.

The power ministry had directed NEEPCO Director in-charge M.R.

Ghosh to temporarily take charge of NEEPCO.

At least, 200 students of all tribal students' unions and federations stormed the NEEPCO headquarters shouting slogans demanding punishment for the 'tainted' former PSU boss and 100 per cent job reservation for North Easterners in the Corporation.

''We heard that he (Mr Sharma) resigned, but we want the government of India to punish him as per the law,'' NESO Chairman Dr Samujjal Bhattacharya told reporters.

The NESO also demanded that a 'person of North East origin' head the NEEPCO.

''North East is not grazing ground for corrupt officials. We want clean officials from the region to head the corporation as well as in the Corporation's Board of Directors,'' the NESO Chairman asserted.

The NESO also demanded the UPA fill up all vacant posts especially group C and D post with unemployed youths of the region.

Dr Bhattacharya, who along with other student leaders - All Asom Students' Union and Khasi Students' Union, also met NEEPCO Director personnel I P Barua said the latter had assured that he would take up their issues with the Centre.

Meanwhile, the NESO cautioned the UPA government to fulfil their demands at the earliest or ''face the consequences''.

Mr Sharma had been indicted by the CBI for misappropriation of crores of rupees as CMD of NEEPCO and forging experience certificates from Bharat Bhari Udyog Nigam Limited and CKS Engineers to get his appointment as General Manager of National Hydel Power Corporation.

The CBI is still probing into all allegations.

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