HANAMKONDA: Nayi Brahmins (barbers) and washermen are going through an ordeal, unable to pay power bills. Though the government had said in the past that up to 250 units, the two communities need not pay, the power utilities, however, were exerting pressure on them to pay up since they were not getting reimbursement from the State government.
The State government has implemented a free power supply scheme for these two communities that use it for commercial purposes. It had said that they need not pay for the first 250 units they consume. The concession was made available for salons and laundry shops.
However, for the past five months, the government has not released funds to the power utilities towards reimbursement for the 250 units of power consumed by them per month. As pressure grew, some of the laundry shop owners began paying the bills without waiting for the reimbursement for the power utilities.
The Nayi Brahmins made representation to the people’s representatives but to no avail.K Srinivas, a barber in Kazipet under the Warangal West Assembly constituency, expressed doubt over the continuation of the free power supply. His arrears have run up to Rs 7,500.
Recently, the authorities warned him that unless he paid up, they would not be able to continue the power supply, he said, adding that though he approached district BC Welfare authorities that the electricity officials were forcing him to clear pending bills, there was not much help. “They simply state the rule position that both Nayi Brahmins and washermen need not pay for the first 250 units of power they consume,” he said.