MARGAO
The power dept has finally restored power supply, illuminating the football ground-jogging track area after the sports dept agreed to pay the power arrears.
But, what about the pending power arrears, pegged over Rs 20-plus lakh, due to the electricity department for illumination of the ornamental lamps installed in the town during the tenure of former Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao by GSUDA.
And, not to mention the high mast lamp installed at the bus stand area under the MPLAD scheme of outgoing Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik, which has been lying defunct after the power department disconnected power supply for non-payment of bills.
Electricity Executive Engineer Santosh Lolienkar said the power department will not restore power supply to the ornamental lamps in the market area of Cuncolim area until the huge outstanding arrears of around Rs 20 lakh is cleared by the parties concerned.
"Let the Cuncolim municipality or GSUDA clear the huge power arrears and we will restore the power supply. The power arrears bill runs to over Rs 20 lakh. Let the authorities pay the arrears and we will restore the power supply to these lamps," he said.
Lolienkar said the department has raised different set of bills addressed to GSUDA with local address as Cuncolim Municipal Council and the Sports department. One of the bills raised in the name of GSUDA is pegged at a whopping Rs 18.64 lakh, with sources saying the bill pertains to the billing of the charges consumed by the ornamental lamps installed in the two over seven years ago.
Another major power bill raised in the name of the freedom fighters memorial is pegged at a whopping Rs 3.06 lakh, Sources this particular bill pertains to the illumination near the freedom fighters memorial.
Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias told The Goan that he has got the authorities to restore power supply to the high mast lamp at the sports department's football ground and jogging track.
"After the department had disconnected power supply to the high mast lamp for non payment of bills, I took up the matter with the sports department and persuaded them to clear the dues in the interest of the people, who avails jogging facilities at the ground in the morning and late evening sessions," Clafacio said.
, while underlining the need to set up a mechanism for the timely payment of power bills in lieu of power consumption by these public utility projects.
