The Power and Energy Ministry is going to initiate legal action against corrupt employees of state-owned Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited. Nasrul Hamid, State Minister for Power and Energy, has already instructed that a list of tainted employees be drawn up. Besides instruction have been given to submit the property details of Titas officials and employees in the backdrop of allegations that some Titas officials and employees have amassed huge assets disproportionate to known sources of their income, An Energy Division official said.
According to sources, the state minister instructed that property details of Titas officials and employees be presented as also the list of 96 employees who confessed to having indulged in corruption before the Truth Commission during one-eleven. Nasrul Hamid sought legal action against those Titas officials and employees whose income are not in keeping with their properties.
There are allegations of Titas Gas staff for facilitating illegal gas connection, illegal reconnection, meter tampering, excessive gas connection to boiler and generators, system loss, negligence in installing EVC (Electronic Volume Corrector) and committing other irregularities. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has identified 22 sources of possible corruption at Titas Gas. ACC Commissioner Mohammad Mozammel Haque Khan submitted an investigative and observational report on corruption in Titas Gas to the State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources on April 17.
On the basis of overall review, the team submitted a 12-point recommendation for the prevention of corruption in the company The High Court said last month that “there will be no need for gas price hike if corruption in Petrobangla and Titas can be halved”. A meeting was held recently in the ministry to discuss the issue of corruption in Titas when the state minster was present.
Official said some among the 96 identified officials and employees are still working in Titas while some others who had quit their job are trying to come back.
According to sources, the employees could be trapped now. Of them 53 employees are meter reader, 20 managers and deputy managers, 23 are in accounts and sales. The Anti-Corruption Commission alleged that they accumulated huge assets by corrupt means.
Titas Gas ordered disciplinary transfer of 38 officers and employees. Of them, one is a General Manager, twelve are Managers, seven Deputy Managers, three Assistant Managers and one is Assistant Officer. At the same time, Titas wound up 18 vigilance teams by two office orders last Monday and Tuesday.
Nasrul Hamid said the ACC report will help find out corruption and action would be taken on the basis of the report as the government was committed to zero tolerance towards graft. He said “we are trying to ensure that people get the proper service without any hassle. The corrupt people cannot stay peacefully under my ministry.”
