With the power bill arrears due from the Rural Water Supply and other departments concerned running into crores of rupees, the Telangana State Northern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSNPDCL) is mulling tough action against defaulters to recover the outstanding electricity bill dues after this festival season.
The power bill arrears got accumulated due to alleged inordinate delay on part of the government departments and agencies concerned in releasing funds towards electricity bills incurred on account of operation of public utility services.
There are over 20 Comprehensive Protected Drinking Water (CPW) supply schemes functioning under the aegis of the RWS Department in both Khammam and Kothagudem divisions.
The uninterrupted functioning of these projects is imperative to provide safe drinking water to people living in rural areas, particularly those inhabiting the fluoride-affected areas.
Sources said that the departments concerned owed a whopping Rs. 5 crore power bill dues to the TSNPDCL.
Even as these departments cited non-release of funds from the Zilla Parishad and other Panchayat Raj institutions for the delay in payment of electricity dues, the TSNPDCL is in no mood to accept the reason anymore.
After sending a series of reminders to the departments and agencies to get the long-pending power bill dues cleared, the TSNPDCL has taken a firm stand to recover the outstanding electricity bill arrears next month.
The onus of ensuring release of grants for maintenance of the public utility services such as CPW schemes and streetlights lies with the government, said M. Ramesh, president, Telangana Rythu Sangham, Khammam district.
The government should see to it that the rural water supply schemes get uninterrupted power supply for catering to the drinking water needs of people in rural areas, he demanded.
The departments concerned owed power bill arrears amounting to Rs. 22 crore towards consumption of power for operation of streetlights and CPW schemes in the district to the TSNPDCL, said K. Tirumala Rao, Superintending Engineer, TSNPDCL, Khammam circle. Despite being given sufficient time, some of the departments have failed to clear the outstanding power bill arrears running into crores, he said, adding that the power connections of the defaulters would be snapped soon after the Dasara festival.
