Residents of the Peeragarhi Relief Camp here will have no electricity supplied to them now since the Delhi Government that was paying for power consumption in the area has stopped paying the power distribution company BRPL since August 2010.
The Government’s largesse to these residents has resulted in a cash deficit of Rs.6.27 crore for BRPL, which has now decided to pull back from supplying electricity to the area on account of mounting dues.
On Friday, the discom claimed it is being “forced” to disconnect the supply as it is neither being paid for the electricity by the Government nor are the residents of the Camp interested in applying for a connection.
The nod for disconnection has also been given by the Government’s Revenue Department that was making the payment to the discom.
“Over the years, the bona fide residents of the camp began to sell their dwellings and were replaced by residents who did merit free electricity supply. From August 2010, the Delhi Government has failed to pay up the dues and as on date it owes the company Rs.6.27 crore,” said a company official.
The disclosure from the company comes at a time when bail-out packages are being proposed for discoms to help them tide over a financial crunch.
Peeragarhi Relief Camp was set up for Punjab migrants in 1984. The camp was being provided electricity under the single-point delivery system and its cost were being borne by the Revenue Department of the Delhi Government. When the issue of non-payment of dues was earlier raised with the Government, the discom was advised to hold a special camp in the area and offer legal connections to the residents, who will then have to pay for the electricity that they consume.
A list of bona fide residents of the camp was also provided to the company to help them identify the beneficiaries of the scheme and also spot the ones who needed a connection.
The company was also told to disconnect the single point delivery system by September 28.
The discom has now informed the Government that it organised the camp on two consecutive days and yet, none of the residents turned up to register for a connection.
“As per estimates 1,500 inhabitants are residing in the camp, of which only the bona fide allottees, less than 200 of them, are entitled to free electricity. The payment towards the electricity dues is not being received, though being persistently followed-up with the government at various levels. The company has been deferring the disconnection on humanitarian grounds but left with no option, BRPL has been constrained to disconnect electricity supply to the camp from Friday,” said the company official.
