Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) chairman and managing director B Ashok, on Wednesday, April 6, issued suspension orders to the KSEB Officers Association's (KSEBOA) president MG Suresh Kumar citing dereliction of duty. Suresh, who is also an executive engineer at the KSEB, was suspended for making ''false allegations and statements'' against the KSEB management and the CMD. He was also accused of organising a protest in violation of Conduct Rules. State Minister for Electricity K Krishnankutty welcomed the move by saying that none are above rules, including himself.
On Tuesday, the association had staged a protest in front of the headquarters of the KSEB, Vydyuthi Bhavan at Pattom, which led to the suspension. The association was protesting against the suspension of an executive engineer. According to reports, the engineer was reprimanded for staying away from work without applying for leave. While the CPI(M)-backed KSEBOA said that the charges against the engineer were “baseless and the management’s action unjustified”, Ashok said that the strike was needless. He has also said that the engineer faced disciplinary action for keeping away from work without applying for leave. “Moreover, she did not hand over the charge to anyone else during her absence,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kumar said that this vindictive action cannot be seen as an action against him, and claimed that instead, it was directed against the association. "I have been suspended for exercising my right as a member of the association, and not for dereliction of duty. I have intimated the minister about the same," Suresh has said and added that the association and other employee unions will be continuing their agitation against the CMD. KSEBOA further said that the suspension was the latest in the ''anti-democratic interventions'' done by the KSEB management.
But Minister Krishnankutty told the media that rules and laws are for all. "Even If I break it, it's improper and hence, all are bound to follow the directives," said the Minister. He has also added that while the management says Suresh Kumar has flouted rules, Suresh has denied it. “I will examine it on April 12,'' he said.
KSEB CMD Ashok, on February 14, had put up a scathing Facebook post criticising the Left unions for misuse of power. Amongst several allegations raised by the CMD in the post, his statement that, “KSEB owned land was handed over to various co-operative societies in the name of tourism development without getting the full board's or government's approval,” had created a huge political row.
(With IANS inputs)