the goan I network
PANAJI
The Electricity Department has decided to file recovery cases against private defaulters who have not cleared their power bills for long. As per the list prepared by the department, a whopping amount of around Rs 178 crore stands as arrears in the name of private consumers.
The department has begun the exercise of picking up a team of lawyers to file RRC (Revenue Recovery Certificate) cases under the land revenue code to start the recovery of pending dues which runs into crores of rupees.
“For the last many years, we had not made any attempt to collect the arrears from pending bills. But now after 8 months of exercise, we have finalised a list of defaulters. The total outstanding amount works out to Rs 323 crore of which Rs 145 crore is to be recovered from various government departments,” said Power Minister Nilesh Cabral.
The Power Minister also said that an online system has been introduced to facilitate the power consumers in paying the electricity bills. Payment by cheque has been totally stopped and won’t be accepted.
The Minister further warned that his department would act tough on consumers who default in paying their electricity bills. It may be recalled that after the Cabral took charge of the power ministry in the last week of September 2018, the minister has acted firmly on defaulters.
The power supply to Mapusa police station was disconnected a few months ago
followed by disconnection of power supply to the open passage of the Panaji Market on account of the electricity department not receiving power bill arrears to the tune of of Rs 5.80 crore. The power Minister has also warned of disconnecting electricity supply to Opa Water Treatment Project if the bills are not cleared immediately.
The Minister has also made it clear that the arrears can be paid in installments so as to reduce the burden of the government as well private consumers in paying the amount in lump sum.
