CUTTACK: In a bid to ensure proper realisation of power consumption fees from Durga Puja organisers this year, energy meters will be installed at each pandal in the city from this year. As per an Energy department estimate, on an average over 10 lakh units are consumed by around 170 Puja mandaps on illumination and decorations during the five-day Durga Puja festival.
The department has to bear the burden of supplying an additional 300 MW electricity to meet the needs of the city. Although the Puja committees deposit around Rs 10,000 each for temporary connections prior to the festival, there is no way of calculating the cost of electricity used at the mandaps.
In a bid to keep a check on whimsical consumption of energy by Puja committees, the TPCODL has decided to install electricity meters at the pandals this year. The Puja committees will have to pay per unit of energy consumed as per the meter reading.
However, the decision has not gone down well with the majority of Puja committees which have approached the administration opposing it. College Square Puja committee members said they are apprehending inflated bills.
“The matter was discussed at a meeting of Cuttack Mahanagar Shanti Committee after most of the committees expressed their apprehension following which we approached the administration for withdrawal of the decision and permission for temporary electric connection as was being done earlier,” said Cuttack Mahanagar Shanti Committee president Debendra Sahu.
However, TPCODL superintending engineer Debasish Patnaik said as per the new rules of OERC, electric meters have to be installed even for temporary connections. “The Puja committees will have to apply at the section office nearby for temporary power supply permission following which section level officials will install the electricity meters at the pandals. The Puja committees will have to pay as per the meter reading,” he said.