Mumbai: The BEST is yet to receive payments for electricity bills collectively worth over ₹38 crore from various government bodies. The BEST supplies electricity only between Colaba and Dadar after purchasing power from the Tatas.
Various departments of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have defaulted on electricity bills of ₹11.38 crore. Departments of the State government owe BEST ₹23.87 crore, while Central government departments have dues of ₹3.12 crore.
The defaulting departments include the police and fire departments, hospitals like Cama and Sion, ward offices, the collector’s office and even the income tax department.
Besides these defaulters, non-government private consumers, too, owe dues of ₹10.37 crore to the company.
This information was revealed to leader of Opposition in the BMC Ravi Raja when he sought details of the BEST’s large defaulters.
Mr. Raja said, “It’s very sad that the government is a big defaulter and we are not able to able to recover money from them. Senior officials of the supply division are not able to recover the dues. Shouldn’t there be zero tolerance from officials? The BEST is paying penal interest to the Tatas in case of delayed payments, but receives no such facility from the State. Why should the BEST suffer because of the State government when it receives absolutely no help of any sort from it.”
He also questioned how the BEST could sit on such huge pending amounts and then expect the BMC to bail it out. “Shouldn’t BEST officials be recovering these dues when the BEST is going through such difficult times?” he asked.
The BEST has, however, acted against some defaulters.
Electricity meter connections of the ward officers of D and E wards have been removed for non-payment of arrears to the extent of ₹3.54 lakh and ₹l6.16 lakh respectively. Other government bodies, like the offices of the Superintendent of Garden (dues of ₹6.53 lakh), Elphinstone Technical High School (₹1.65 lakh), office of the general manager of Mahanagar Telephones in E Ward (dues of ₹9.92 lakh) and even against the office of the Commissioner of Mumbai (₹8.32 lakh) are also facing the heat from the BEST for not paying up.
The BEST has already removed the meters of about 321 private meter holders for defaulting on electricity payments. Many private consumers like the Superintendent of Children’s Home (₹1.44 lakh dues) and the Royal Bank of Scotland have also held up payments.
While some dues are because of disputes over payments, most are not.
Last week, a BEST team went to disconnect the electricity connection of the new MLA Hostel, which has defaulted on payment of over ₹6.48 lakh.
The electricity connection was restored after an assurance that the bills would be paid.
