NEA MD out of touch‚ rumours rife he's quit

Ramesh Prasad Bhusal 

Kathmandu, Nepal

Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority Dipendra Nath Sharma has gone incommunicado , giving rise to speculations that he has resigned following intense pressure from NEA trade unions over 'various issues'. 

If the rumours doing rounds about Sharma's resignation are true, it will not only reflect the state of the state-owned power utility but also will prove his appointment was much ado about nothing, for Sharma is the first MD in the history of NEA who was selected through open competition, in a move what then energy minister Gokarna Bista had termed 'an effort to revamp' the organisation.

It is said that Sharma left his office yesterday, saying 'I won't return again'. A source at the Ministry of Energy said Sharma has already tendered his resignation to Energy Secretary Balananda Paudel. But Paudel said he was on leave. "He has submitted a leave application but has not specified till when," he said.

The latest of the issue raised by NEA trade unions was internal elections. There are four trade unions at NEA, and the administration this time had decided to hold election for 'an authorised union' on Saturday. 

Sharma was put under intense pressure by trade unions affiliated to various parties. "Sharma told me that he felt humiliated and would like to go on leave," added Paudel. 

Several attempts made by this daily to talk to Sharma went in vain. His mobile phone is switched off. When contacted, his family said he was out of station but refused to divulge his whereabouts. 

Some officials at NEA said Sharma was under stress for some time for 'failing to carry out the reforms'. "He was enthusiastic about taking some major decisions to bring about changes in the organisation that is in the red," said the officials.

Nirmal Acharya, personal secretary of Energy Minister Posta Bahadur Bogati, told this daily the minister was unaware about goings-on in NEA. "We have heard the rumours, but we don't have any information about his resignation," said Acharya. Sharma was appointed as NEA chief in July for four years.

Source: www.himalayantimes.com