Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jul 1: The city municipal council (CMC) here has decided to send a complaint to state energy minister against the officials of Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom), who provided power connection to the hostel building of Manipal University at Manipal, which allegedly was built without procurement of licence as required from the city municipality.

During the question hour of the general session of the CMC held on Tuesday June 30, councillors belonging to both Congress and BJP sunk their political differences and expressed anger at the functioning style of Mescom. At the meeting, it transpired that the CMC had instructed Mescom not to provide power connection to the hostel building that was constructed without obtaining door number, occupancy certificate etc from the municipality. The Mescom officials, who were expected to act forthwith on the instructions of CMC, instead gave extension of time to Manipal University, thus enabling it to secure stay order from the state high court.

President of CMC, Yuvaraj Puttur, and members of the ruling and opposition parties together took to task the Mescom official who was present at the meeting, deriding the company's method of working. The councillors wanted to know how was the power connection continued to be provided to the building even after it was clear that it was illegal, and why did Mescom wait quietly for the concerned to bring stay order from the high court. Some accused Mescom of being hand in glove with illegal activities of Manipal University.

Mescom official, by way of clarification, said that Mescom had given a week's time to Manipal University, and that complaint had also been filed with the vigilance squad of the company. He said that the university, in the meanwhile, succeeded in bringing a stay from the high court.