Kerala   

VACB probe at a standstill

KOLLAM: A Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) probe into the purchase of electronic energy meters by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has come to a standstill.

The meters were purchased to replace electro-mechanic meters. The VACB was directed to conduct the probe by the Left Democratic Front government.

VACB sources said a preliminary probe revealed that there was prima facie corruption in the purchase of meters. It also found that corruption had taken place during the tenure of the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) government and the present LDF rule.

The VACB wrote to the government asking whether the probe should cover the purchases during the UDF and LDF rule or those during a specified period.

There was no reply yet from the government, though it had been a long time since the VACB asked for the clarification. The sources said this was the reason why the probe had come to a standstill.

The KSEB took the decision to purchase the meters during the previous UDF rule during the tenure of Kadavur Sivadasan as Electricity Minister.

It was decided that the KSEB purchase electronic meters manufactured by the New Delhi-based Elymer International Private Limited. The deal was fixed at Rs.300 per unit.

According to the VACB investigation, an electronic energy meter of standard quality will cost around Rs.2,000 and only substandard and defective meters can be sold for Rs.300. Such meters may run fast as a result of which consumers will get inflated bills. And many did get inflated bills. The VACB probe went into the aspect whether there were kickbacks in the deal and also whether such defective meters were purchased to augment KSEB revenue through unethical means by burdening the consumers.

When the purchase turned controversial, the UDF contended that much ahead of the KSEB purchasing the Elymer meters, the West Bengal government had purchased the same meters with a difference of only Rs.100.

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