BHUBANESWAR: The Central Electricity Supply Utility (CESU) has asked defaulting consumers to pay their outstanding electricity bill by January 15 or face disconnection.
“The power distribution utility will intensify its drive to disconnect power supply to consumers who have not cleared their pending dues,” CESU CEO Arun Bothra told reporters after a review of the financial performance of the company.
With a massive arrear of Rs 1,971 crore, Bothra said more than Rs 1,023 crore are pending against domestic consumers who constitute 92 per cent of the total defaulters.
Over Rs 197 crore is due from the commercial consumers while Rs 290 crore is under legal dispute.
With a consumer base of 27 lakh in nine districts of Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Puri, Dhenkanal, Angul, Kendrapara, Nayagarh, Khordha and part of Jajpur, Rs 1,581 crore is pending against 7.78 lakh consumers as on March 31, 2019. This has increased to Rs 1,971 crore as on date.
He further informed that dues over Rs 50,000 amounting to Rs 691.32 crore is pending against 58,548 consumers while Rs 394 crore is outstanding against 1,04,059 consumers for last two years.
Responding to a query, the CESU chief said Rs 108 crore is due from industrial consumers and the utility is unable to realise the same as cases are sub-judice at different legal fora including Orissa High Court.
He said CESU has made provision for clearing pending dues in instalment for consumers having huge outstanding. Those who will avail the scheme will be spared from disconnection.
“The huge outstanding against consumers is adversely impacting the performance of CESU in providing quality power and meeting the energy bill of Gridco. The disconnection drive is aimed at improving financial health of the organisation,” he added.
Bothra said CESU has made an action plan to reach out to all such consumers through SMS, e-mail, public notices through print and electronic media, notices at public places, leaflets and through public address systems.
The decision to launch a massive disconnection drive was taken after a review with senior field functionaries of CESU on the financial performance of the company and measures required to improve customer service. Circle and divisional heads have been asked to constitute squads for taking action against the defaulting consumers.