CHENNAI: Amid growing suspicion that individuals might have secured appointments under sports quota in Tangedco offering bribes and submitting fake certificates, BMS (Electricity Wing) has urged the government to intervene and weed out such candidates if any. The plea comes in the backdrop of the power utility not carrying out and completing a verification sought by its vigilance cell by the end of August into employments made under sports quota from 1991 to 1996.
The vigilance cell, on August 3, directed the power utility to complete the verification by end of the month after a foreman in Pudukkottai district was caught on August 1 for presenting fake sports certificate while joining during that period. The person has now been suspended.
Murali Krishnan, legal adviser of BMS (Electricity Wing), told TNIE, “A similar incident has occurred at the Kadamparai hydro station. A total of 300 individuals have been appointed to TNEB under sports quota from 1991 to 1996. Surprisingly, no further appointments were made after that. Why has Tangedco not formed a special team to investigate this issue over the past three decades?” It may be noted that the power utility had earlier identified thousands of contract labourers who joined in producing fake certificates and taken action against them.
E Raveendran, organising secretary of BMS, said, “We submitted petitions to chief engineers and officials, but in vain. The vigilance cell and Tangedco have received numerous complaints from various districts. We urge the state to intervene.”A Sekkizhar, representing TNEB’s Employees Federation, called for a thorough verification of certificates, saying those with fake documents should be sacked and made to face legal action.
A senior Tangedco official said, “We have instructed subordinate offices to verify the authenticity of certificates other than educational qualifications presented during appointments and record it in employees’ service records. We have also requested officials to provide their original sports certificates along with two photocopies.” The power utility has also asked retired employees to produce their sports certificates. Tangedco chairman and managing director Rajesh Lakhoni was unavailable for comments.