Mangaluru: Despite the Escoms claiming that all application forms are provided free to consumers for supply of Low Tension (LT) or High Tension (HT) electricity connections and that it can also be downloaded from their websites, the fact is that the customers seeking new connection are forwarded by the Escom employees to purchase the forms from the Karnataka Licensed Electrical Contractor’s Association (KSLECA) and a few other associations like the Retired Engineers Association, strongly hinting at a unholy nexus between the Association and the Escom officials.
Accused(A-1) Urban Pinto, President of KSLECA District committee
The applications that are supposed to be given free of cost are now being sold to customers at exorbitant cost, which includes Members’ Welfare Fund etc.
The question that now arises is how the KSLECA can charge the customer for an application that is supposed to be free and why are the Escoms remaining silent about the same?
As per insiders, the entire business of sale of application in itself is a business that earns these associations several crores of rupees, given the fact that these associations have offices in almost every district. The sources also speak of unaccounted and ill-gotten money, which has made the Association members grow too big for their shoes.
A set of application forms obtained from KSLECA, Mangaluru, for new connection costs Rs 800, including the members’ welfare fund of Rs.285, which is to be paid compulsorily. This members’ welfare fund is not accounted for, though a bill is issued.
Despite complaints to the Commercial Tax department, Inspector General, Registration and stamps, this business has been only flourishing day after day, thanks to officials concerned, who have not just turned blind eye, but are also protecting the wrong-doers when the issue is raked up.
Whistle howler member gets beaten up!
The annual body meeting of the KSLECA held recently in Hubballi took a violent turn when a group of members attacked a member of the Association who opted to raise finger at the illegal activities of the Association.
The member named Lakshminarayana Monappa Mulya, from Bantwal was beaten for questioning how two Associations-KSLECA District committee in Mangaluru and Licensed Electrical Contractors Sangha are existing under KSLECA illegally in Dakshina Kannada.
Mulya along with a few like-minded member questioned as to how two unregistered Licensed Electrical contractors’ Associations is functioning in Dakshina Kannada. They pointed out that one organisation named Licensed Electrical Contractors Sangha merely accounts for the money collected by KSLECA. Also members have stated that electricity, energy meters are being sold at the KSLECA office at Suratkhal, Bantwal, Moodabidri and Belthangady and other areas without these association having registered itself with commercial tax department.
Raged by the queries raised by Mulya, he was beaten up and accordingly a complaint was filed at the Gokul Police station, at Hubballi by Mulya on 29.5.2016 and an FIRno.0046/2015 is registered on 02.06.16. According to the FIR, the accused are Urban Pinto bin Kashmir Pinto from Suratkhal( A-1), Sumitraj Kashiya Krisent, Mangaluru (A-2), Chandrahas Shivappa Pujari, Mangaluru (A-3) Vivekananda Narayanen, Mangalore (A-4), and Ummar Moidin Bava (A-5).
Urban Pinto is the President of KSLECA District committee in Mangaluru and also of Licensed Electrical Contractors Sangha. He was given district Rajyothsava award 2015 after he was recommended by Moideen Bava MLA Mangalore North, claimed news report.
According to Balakrishna Rai, Founder President, Human Rights Federation of India, Mangalore a complaint was given to the Commissioner of Police six months ago, but an FIR is yet to be registered though serious allegations of cheating, fraudulent methods of manipulating accounts, concealing of ill-gotten income, and several other illegal activities stand registered against Karnataka state licensed Electrical Contractors Association district committee.
A licensed chartered accountant in Mangaluru has a been auditing the accounts of Licensed Electrical Contractors’ Sangha and issuing report, which is presented to its members during the annual general body meeting of KSLEC Association, District Committee, Mangalore. The coverage page of the audited report suggests that it is the report of KSLEC Association, District Committee, Mangalore, but inside the report is of Licensed Electrical Contractors Sangha, and both the association office address is given as, basement of Nisarga Chambers, M.G.Road.
The same audited report is also submitted to the District Registrar, who accepts the same and turns a blind eye, due to which such fraudulent associations are allowed to exist and carry on their business as usual, says Mulya.
Even Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission have also turned a blind eye to a complaint against the said associations illegal activity, and has failed to evoke proper response.
What remains to be answered is that, who is allowing, KSLECA and other associations to sell application forms for so many years that has made them richer by many crores of rupees.
Accused(A-2) Sumitaraj Kashiya, Mangaluru
Accused(A-3) Chandrahas Shivappa Pujari, Mangaluru
Accused(A-4) Vivekananda Narayan, Mangaluru
Accused(A-5) Ummar Moiddin Bava, Mangaluru
