the goan I network
PANAJI
The Corporation of the City of Panaji has decided not to pay the pending electricity dues of the new Panaji Market of around Rs 5 crores to the electricity department till all the occupants in the market sign an agreement with the CCP.
The CCP has also decided to have a final meeting with the occupants on November 11 to finalise the modalities of the agreement document.
Both the issues were discussed in the CCP council meeting on Wednesday. All comparators equivocally demanded that the money of CCP should be utilised for development work rather that clearing backdated dues.
CCP commissioner Sanjith Rodrigues and mayor Uday Madkaikar made it clear in the meeting that CCP will not pay backdated arrears till the CCP tenants sign an agreement.
Some councillors also objected to the government’s move to adjust pending dues with the money allotted to the council for development work.
“Paying pending electricity bills with 6 installments of Rs 1 crore each is not possible for the CCP,” said Madkaikar.
“We are supposed to get around Rs 12 crore from the occupants of the market once they sign an agreement. Till this amount is in the CCP coffers, we can’t pay the electricity department or undertake any other repair work in the market,” informed Madkaikar while speaking to media personell after the meeting.
It was also decided in the council meeting to outsource the cleaning and maintenance work of market.
It may be recalled that the electricity department had disconnected supply to the CCP market recently for non-payment of pending electricity dues.
The connection was restored after the CM’s intervention and the CCP mayor had at the time agreed to pay the pending dues in installments to the electricity department.
The first installment was supposed to be paid on October 1. Now the CCP council has decided not to pay the installment.
