Crisis in MSEB blows over

By Mahesh Vijapurkar

MUMBAI, JULY 31. The Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) today averted a crisis in the top management when the Government dropped its move to appoint Mr. P.R. Deshpande, an MSEB employee retiring today, as member on its board, following which the MSEB chairman, Mr. Vinay Bansal, decided not to resign.

Mr. Bansal, who took over in November 2000, has been a key person in stemming the Enron-sponsored Dabhol Power Company's economic impact and putting the MSEB on road to recovery.

The State Energy Minister, Mr. Padamsinh Patil, was keen on Mr. Deshpande joining the Board as member (transmission & distribution). Mr. Bansal's objection to the move and his conveying his protest in writing to the Chief Minister led to a tiff with the Minister, who hinted at ordering a probe into the purchases of meters by the MSEB since Mr. Bansal took over. Mr. Bansal had to step up the of acquisition of meters to meet the regulator's orders to meter all unmetered connections.

The MSEB had conveyed, in the recent past, to the power ministry that it could only give ``advice, not directives''.

Sources in the MSEB said Mr. Bansal was not averse to a probe into the purchase of meters since ``everything is above board and the decision has been taken unanimously by the Board''.

No role for Godbole panel?

With Enron deciding to exit from the controversial DPC by deciding to sell its stake to either the Centre or lenders, the utility of the Maharashtra Government- appointed Madhav Godbole Committee, to renegotiate the Power Purchase Agreement, appears to have ceased.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : 35 lakh cases pending in HCs
Next     : Honour for the 'man of check-dams'