Residents in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are seeing their power supply disconnected by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) over the non-payment of pending bills. An official said that the MSEDCL has temporarily disconnected over 1 lakh connections so far in Mumbai.
Another official said that energy bill arrears have touched ₹48,500 crores, with ₹242 crores pending in MMR. Around 2 lakh consumers in the region have reportedly not paid their bills in the last 10 months.
This comes as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said last month that there will be no disconnections for farmers and local residents “who failed to pay their bills until the issue of non-payment of outstanding bills was debated in the state assembly.”
Also read - Nitin Raut: Pay Electricity Bills, Make MSEDCL Financially Viable
Shortly after, Energy Minister Nitin Raut mentioned that the recovery of pending bills was necessary for the normal functioning of the MSEDCL and also to obtain funds for future power generation. An official added that Raut asked them to proceed with temporary disconnections to recover pending bills.
Another staffer involved with the disconnection/recovery drive in Vashi said that although the power supply is being disconnected, customers can restore electricity by paying the due amount. Some customers have reportedly handed over cheques valued at up to ₹80,000 to get their connections restored.
Read - MSEDCL To Cut Off Power Supply Of Account With Pending Payments
Some officials engaged in the recovery process were said to be facing threats, but they have now been offered police protection. In one such incident, a team of recovery officials were reportedly blocked on their path by local residents at a slum in Vashi.
“I warned them that I am calling the police after which they agreed to cooperate. We disconnected the meter connections and will restore supply only after there is payment,” the MSEDCL staff said.
The recovery drive was originally earlier this year. At the time, around 47,000 customers in MMR paid their pending dues after receiving disconnection notices from the MSEDCL. The agency managed to recover around ₹62 crores at the time.
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