THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSEB has come under flak from a section of the officials and trade unions over the appointment of retired hands as consultants and advisors. Currently, more than 10 consultants are serving in the power entity.
KSEB had come out with an order on Friday stating that the deputation post of LA&DEO has been lying vacant for quite some time. It also stated that currently, more than 8000 court cases are pending before the Kerala State Electricity Board for disposal. This led the director board to appoint a retired judge in this capacity.
The latest appointment of S H Panchapakesan,retired district judge and former State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, as LA&DEO has raised several eyebrows.
Panchapakesan denied this protest against his appointment by stating that the LA & DEO post is a judicial post where a decision has been taken by the incumbent CMD, Biju Prabhakar and the remaining board of directors where his main responsibility is to advise the board on litigations.
During the tenure of B Ashok, former KSEB chairman and managing director, the then board had taken a decision not to go for consultants and also LA&DEO. After the tenure of T K Minimol, former district judge, as LA&DEO, three years ago, this post has been lying vacant. Panchapakesan told TNIE that he had been serving as the legal consultant in KSEB since August 1st.
“The board has appointed me as LA&DEO with good intention. A whopping 44-year-old litigation with a late contractor pertaining to the Kuttiyadi project was resolved on Friday which saw the board getting Rs 3.74 crores. Similarly, several thousands of cases are pending before the board which needs early disposal”, Panchapakesan added.
Meanwhile, according to a KSEB official, “The the electricity board is seeing almost a dozen consultants in various posts who are mostly retired chief engineers from the board. Now there is not much difference between the Chief Minister’s Office and KSEB which are seeing an influx of consultants."
A CITU trade union leader in KSEB told TNIE that a retired district judge had to be accommodated in the LA&DEO post following the High Court directive that serving Judges cannot be considered in KSEB due to a dearth of adequate hands.