In a major blow to the Balasore Alloys Limited (BAL), the Grievances Redressal Forum (GRF) in its interim order on Saturday directed the ferro-alloys producer to pay Rs 45 crore in the next 21 days to Nesco.
Following the September 13 High Court directive, BAL had moved GRF against the disconnection notice served by Nesco for non-payment of electricity dues to the tune of Rs 167,77,40,435 as on August 29.
The forum has directed the power distribution company not to disconnect the power supply to the BAL subject to receipt of ` 45 crore towards the arrear within 21 days of this order along with the monthly current dues to be paid by due date.
Claiming ‘not maintainable’, earlier the High Court had dismissed a writ petition filed by the company against Nesco’s disconnection notice.
Sources said Nesco had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court against the HC order. As per the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) Act, the complainant should move the Ombudsman against the GRF order, not the HC. It is learnt that the BAL also intends to take the matter to the apex court for a possible relief.
Local consumers said the arrear amount, if waived, would be an ultimate burden on the domestic consumers who are often asked to pay the bills that are hiked at regular intervals.
They have threatened not to pay their bills henceforth and take to the streets if the profit-making power intensive company is let off the hook.