'Shock' treatment to officers' assn leaders in KSEB, Suresh Kumar shunted out to Perinthalmanna

B Ashok

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) management has cracked a whip on the 'hitherto all powerful leaders' of the KSEB Officers' Association owing allegiance to the ruling dispensation.

Though the suspension of three of its leaders, state president M G Suresh Kumar, general secretary B Harikumar and executive committee member Jasmine Banu were revoked, two of them were transferred out of Thiruvananthapuram and one was denied promotion.

In the conciliatory talks held between the management and various officers' associations, KSEB chairman B Ashok did not take part. KSEB director (finance) represented the management. But the talks failed to end the deadlock with the Officers' Association announcing that they would continue with their strike till all their demands were met. They are planning to lay siege to Vydyuthi Bhavan.

Suresk Kumar, who was working as assistant executive engineer in the KSEB headquarters, has been transferred to Perinthalmanna in Malappuram district while executive engineer Jasmine Banu has been given posting at Seethathodu in Pathanamthitta district.

Harikumar, an assistant executive engineer, was denied promotion to the post of the executive engineer. Harikumar's name was not there in the promotion list for the post of executive engineer issued by the KSEB. Those who are junior to Harikumar were found a place in the promotion list.

In the order revoking Jasmine Banu's suspension, the date given was Tuesday since the High Court had ordered her reinstatement in service before Tuesday. But in the order issued to her, it has been instructed that she should in no way interfere in the inquiry going on against her. The other condition is that she should not talk to the media.

Earlier, KSEB chief vigilance officer had asked her to submit the train/plane tickets availed during her leave period in order to revoke her suspension. But she opposed it by saying that such an act would amount to an infringement upon her secrecy.

The date shown in the order revoking suspension of Suresh Kumar was also Tuesday. All charges against him were listed in the eight-page letter revoking suspension.

KSEB says 'no' to continuance in same seats

The KSEB clarified that the continuance of the three officers in the same seats after the revoking of suspension might give them a chance to interfere in the inquiry pending against them. It further said that they were posted in available vacancies.

However, the agitation launched by the association in front of Vydyuthi Bhavan here completed three days.

Though there were rumours that Electricity Minister K Krishnan Kutty would take the lead for ending the impasse by calling a conciliatory meeting, nothing of that sort happened. It is learnt that the minister is throwing his weight fully behind the chairman in the current bout of fight between tha management and the officers' association.

'Tariff hike for 5 yrs not practical'

State Electricity Regulatory Commission chairman Preman Dinaraj has said that the power tariff hike mooted by the KSEB for a five-year cycle is impractical since the adverse impact of COVID-19 on the economy has not subsided yet.

A decision on tariff hike would be taken in another one-and-a-half month.

The public opinion will influence the decision. But at the same time, the KSEB's survival will have to be ensured, he said.

He pointed out that about 98 lakh consumers out of the total 1.3 crore-strong customer base belonged to the domestic category.

He said that many valuable suggestions on tariff hike were received from domestic users, small-scale industries' representatives, high tension-extra high tension users and various organisations.

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