Even as the nationwide lockdown is extended till May 3 and industries remain shut, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) has said that current consumption charges should be paid by May 6. It has not made any announcement on reduction of Minimum Demand (MD) charges.
Industries here have demanded time to pay the current consumption charges and to waive off the MD charges.
In a communication dated April 13, the Tangedco has said that LT and LTCT consumers are given time till May 6 to pay the current consumption charges.
Consumers should pay the previous month bill for LT and LTCT services for the March/April bill months and the reading date is from March 22 to April 30.
President of Coimbatore and Tiruppur District Tiny and Micro Entrepreneurs Association C. Sivakumar said the units have money only to take care of the workers.
They need at least three months time to pay the current consumption charges.
“There are payments pending even for 150 days. When we are not operating the units, how can we pay the current bill?,” he asks.
K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, says the Tangedco has to provide 80 % concession for MD charges during the lockdown period according to TNERC norms.
The government can decide to waive it off completely too.
Further, the Tangedco staff are all working as it is an essential service.
It is the decision of Tangedco and not that of the industries to not take door-to-door reading of current consumption charges.
So it cannot ask the consumers to pay the previous month bill for the current month. It should at least waive off the amount for the period when there is lockdown.
“Tangedco need not extend concessions. But it should not penalise commercial and industrial consumers during such challenging periods,” he said.
