ITANAGAR, May 31: Responding to the objection raised by the Arunachal Anti-Corruption Sena-Anna Samarthak (AACS-AS) over the appointment of Tungri Effa as CMD of the Hydro Power Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh Ltd (HPDCAPL), the corporation’s general manager (GM) has clarified that Effa has been appointed to the post “purely on public interest and as an interim management by the governor,complying with an interim order passed by the Gauhati High Court.”
The GM said: “Before taking over the office of CMD by Effa, the post of MD was managed by Toko Onuj, an assistant manager in the corporation, equivalent to assistant engineer, in 2010, for the last 5 years.
“In the meantime, a senior officer from the hydropower department was appointed by the governor as general manager on deputation and, subsequently, the GM was given the charge of the managing director (MD).
“Toko Onuj, the erstwhile MD (in-charge) of the corporation, challenged the government order in the Gauhati High Court, as a result of which the matter is still pending in the double bench of the Gauhati High Court,” the GM said.
“In the meantime,” he said, “an interim order was passed by the HC to appoint the chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) as per the Article of Association of the Corporation clause 40(1) and 41. The Article of Association, that governs the corporation, does not have managing director post but a CMD post.”
The GM said that, as per the Article of Association clause 40(1) and 41, the governor can appoint the CMD, subject to such terms and conditions as may be determined by the governor.
“Complying with the interim order of HC and in pursuance to the Article of Association 40 and 41, the governor of Arunachal Pradesh appointed Tungri Effa, who is the chairman of the corporation, to hold the post of CMD in public interest till the criteria for appointment of CMD is finalized,” he said.
“The appointment is purely an interim arrangement. Hence, terming the interim arrangement as political appointment by the so-called AACS-AS is baseless and untrue,” the GM said.
The GM further informed that the government has constituted a committee headed by the power commissioner chairman to finalize the criteria for appointment of CMD, “and the same is yet to be finalized.”
