EB struggles to collect Rs 2 lakhs due from Narayanaswamys office

The Electricity Department will approach the Puducherry Municipality to collect the power charge dues, running up to  Rs 2 lakh, from the office of Union Minister V Narayanasamy situated inside the Kalaivanar Arangam.

K Mathivanan, the superintending engineer, while answering a query on the outstanding dues pointed out by an NGO, Raghoupahy, said that the Puducherry municipality, which controlled the affairs of the Kalaivanar Arangam where Narayanasamy’s office was located, was the primary customer of the electricity department.

When a power connection in the name of the superintendent of police for operating a hoarding of a private mobile operator was brought to light, Mathivanan said that the dues would be collected from the policy holder or the customer but only  after clarifications.

The NGO representative, with the support of documents gathered through RTI Act, pointed out that a sum of Rs 66,326 was outstanding for the connection used for hoardings near the Anna statue. Earlier, Mathivanan said that electricity Department had taken steps to collect dues to the tune of Rs 23 lakh from live consumers and supply was disconnected for those who did not clear the dues. He also said that the total outstanding dues from various government firms and private industries ran up to Rs 66 crore.

P R Meena, secretary to the government (Power), who was present at the event, said steps were taken by the electricity department to recover the dues. Supply was already disconnected to the industries that had not paid the outstanding dues.

The conversion of electricity department to a board, as suggested by the electricity regulatory authority, was stalled due to resistance employees, the open house was told. An agency that was appointed to study the conversion was paid Rs 37 lakh and it had submitted its report.