the goan I network
MARGAO
The State’s first women Chief Electrical Engineer Reshma Mathew has come to the rescue of hundreds of power consumers facing difficulties in clearing of the dues and arrears running into thousands of rupees for want of an installment facility.
The new CEE also feels that it is not proper to treat unauthorised power overloading as a “theft”, more so when the power consumed by the consumer is being metered.
More than a year after her predecessor N Reddy had withdrawn the part payment facility for the power consumers in August, 2017, the Chief Electrical Engineer has restored the installment facility with immediate effect, beginning from this month.
Executive engineers of all the divisions, Panaji, Ponda, Margao, Bicholim, Curchorem, Vasco and Verna have been told to take note of the restoration of the part payment facility for the power consumers and act accordingly and strictly adhere to the instructions.
In the circular, the Chief Electrical Engineer said the modalities of payment will be equated in monthly installments as per the circular.
Reshma Mathews told The Goan that the part payment facility for power consumers has been restored after taking an overall view of the prevailing situation. “Normally, power consumers with accumulated arrears beyond Rs 10,000 used to ask for the part payment facility. And, the department had come out with the facility before it was discontinued in August last year,” Reshma said.
She pointed out that the part payment installment facility will help the Power department to recover the huge outstanding arrears from businessman and individuals alike. “With mining and other small businesses down, the part payment facility will help people to clear their arrears in installments,” she added.
When her attention was drawn to the circular issued by her predecessor N Reddy stating that unauthorised overloading of power will be treated as theft by the department, the newly-appointed Chief Electrical Engineer maintained there’s no need to treat overloading as theft if the power consumed is billed. “If consumers have increased their load without permission, but if the units consumed was billed, I do not think it amounts to theft,” she said.
Reshma’s comments on the issue assumed significance given that her predecessor had threatened to book consumers along the coastal belt for power thefts if they have increased the load without authorisation.
When the attention of the CEE was drawn to the bad condition of the electrical poles, especially in the commercial capital, with a couple of poles crumbling down for want of maintenance, Reshma said she asked the concerned division heads to find out the number of poles that are need of replacement. “The exercise is presently underway and appropriate measures will be initiated once the requirement is received from the divisions,” she added.
FEEL GOOD FACTOR
The CEE has restored the installment facility with immediate effect, beginning from this month
Executive engineers of all the divisions, Panaji, Ponda, Margao, Bicholim, Curchorem, Vasco and Verna have been told to take note of the restoration of the part payment facility for the power consumers and act accordingly and strictly adhere to the instructions
The modalities of payment will be equated in monthly installments as per the circular
