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Village panchayats evade power bills
Village panchayats across the State and in district as well are not paying power consumption bills every month properly to the AP Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL). As a result, the amount on the pending bills crossed Rs 3 crore from all village panchayats. Power consumption bills have not been cleared by panchayat bodies since February this year. Every month, power is consumed
Srikakulam: Village panchayats across the State and in district as well are not paying power consumption bills every month properly to the AP Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL). As a result, the amount on the pending bills crossed Rs 3 crore from all village panchayats. Power consumption bills have not been cleared by panchayat bodies since February this year. Every month, power is consumed by the village panchayats for street lights, water supply and power for panchayat buildings.
Earlier, the gram panchayats had not paid these bills to the electricity department and government had adjusted funds basing on the availability and paid on tenure base. After conversion of the electricity department as distribution companies, State government gave clear directions to the panchayat to meet the expenditure on power from general funds every month. However, for the past seven months, panchayats have not been clearing power consumption bills.
Various power distribution companies including the APEPDCL expressed serious concern and initiated steps to collect the amount on quick pace. The issue was brought to the notice of the State government and chief secretary (CS) to the State government also held a review meeting with officials concerned recently.
The CS also directed the officials to clear payments as the State government is thinking of providing special funds for it. Meanwhile, the gram panchayats concerned have to adjust the available funds for payment of power bills as soon as possible.
‘We have prepared a list of panchayats which did not pay the power bills for the last seven months and sent it to the district panchayat officer (DPO) for favourable action’ Superintendent Engineer (SE) of APEPDCL, Datti Satyanarayana told The Hans India here on Thursday. “We received communication from the APEPDCL over pending power bills and issued orders to all panchayats for quick payment of the amount,” DPO, B Koteshwara Rao explained to this newspaper.
By ch Lakshmana rao
