Mangaluru: Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (MESCOM) held an orientation programme on Saturday, July 16 in the city for nearly 2000 newly recruited candidates for posts varying from linesmen to officials. State Energy minister D K Shivakumar participated to address and motivate them.
Addressing the gathering, Shivakumar said that a total of 11592 personnel for KPTCL and ESCOMs had been recruited in the entire state and orientation programme for all of them has been planned and to begin with, it will be from Mangaluru.
Minister referring to Chikkananjappa, MESCOM, Managing Director, said that he was the son of a linesman who rose to the post of managing director. An opportunity for linesmen to reach the post of officer was always there and keeping this in mind, the energy minister advised the candidates to consider their work as service to the country.
“Some of the officials and other personnel in ESCOMs get more pay than Arvind Jadhav, Additional Chief Secretary and Jawaid Akthar, MD KPTCL. You too may fetch the same salary, provided you show your skills in the right manner,” he said.
Shivakumar pointed out that all the recruitments have taken place in a transparent manner. Most of the posts may not be transferable and only if situation arises, they may have to be posted somewhere nearby.
“You have joined a service department, so please do not switch off your mobile phones. If there is any electricity fault, people will continuously call up. Always be prepared to render service,” he added.
The minister cautioned the new recruits, not to misuse the opportunity of serving ESCOMs and indulge in any corrupt acts. He referred to some large-scale irregularities taking place in approving applications for setting up roof-top solar units in different parts of the State, following which the Energy Department has suspended 21 executive engineers of various ESCOMs. He also said that the decision of suspending the executive engineers was only a beginning and more engineers were set to face disciplinary action in the days to come. If they do not discharge their responsibility with utmost restraint, they will have to face action from the department.
Director of MESCOM Mallika Pakala, MD of MESCOM Chikkananjayya, director of MESCOM Surendra Kambali, director of KPTCL A S Radhakrishna and others were present.
