Private schools demand immediate halt to power disconnection drive; PIL to be filed against violation of RTE

IMPHAL, Jan 30: All Manipur Recognized Private Schools’ Welfare Association (AMRPSWA) has urged the concerned electricity department to stop the present power disconnection drive immediately in view of the ensuing board examinations of classes X and XII students of the state.
Speaking to mediapersons today at Manipur Press Club, the secretary general of AMRPSWA, Kh. Japan stated that the preparatory studies of the students have been adversely affected by the power disconnection drive rendering the poor students in a state of utter discontentment.
He said that the ministers and bureaucrats of the state should first clear their respective due bills before the electricity department targets the general public. As per a report received from one official of electricity department, ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats of the state have outstanding electric bill of about Rs 3 crores, Japan noted.
The electricity department is simply targeting the weaker sections when it has failed to take up necessary action against their superiors.
 
Moreover, the employees of the electricity department should be sincere in providing adequate power supply to the people. There have been many instances where the employees of electricity department have been found involved in tampering of power meters, preparing fake no-due certificates and even giving unauthorized power connections for which the defaulters are liable to be imprisoned under the Electricity Act, the secretary general stated.
Japan further stated that the present power drive only gives harassment to the general public and it will not bring much development to the state. The insincerity of the employees of electricity department will only devastate the department in the long run like the erstwhile Manipur State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) which has ceased to function for the last many years.
The chief advisor of AMRPSWA, N. Tomba stated that the massive power disconnection drive is a major setback in the implementation of Right to Education Act, 2009 in the state. The students are deprived of their education in the absence of power supply.
He said that the step taken up by the electricity department to detect unauthorized power consumers is a great initiative to ensure adequate power supply but sudden disconnection of regular consumers for non-payment of due bills is very unjust and it will have adverse impact on the students who should be reading with heart and soul for the ensuing board and pre-board examinations.
The electricity department has remained passive towards the defaulters belonging to higher sections of the society while it is active only to those weaker consumers. The attitude of the electricity department is akin to dogs barking at day time when there are no thieves around but remaining silent at night when the thieves are active everywhere, Tomba asserted.
Moreover, the private schools which impart education to about 2.5 lakh students in the state have not been given adequate power for the last many years and due to which computer education cannot be fully imparted to the students in this present era of science and technology.
The president of AMRPSWA, Doren Khaba Nganba stated that the association will soon file public interest litigation (PIL) to the Gauhati High Court regarding the violation of Right to Education (RTE) of the students due to massive power disconnection drive in the state.
The AMRPSWA also appealed to all to render utmost help and support while conducting the pre-board examination of class X as well as common examination of classes V and VIII which will commence from tomorrow.