CHENNAI: Many hotel owners in Tamil Nadu are worried as the State government is yet to clear pending bills worth Rs 200 crore for food and boarding provided to doctors and nurses who were quarantined or deputed to other districts during the pandemic.
The bills have been pending for eight-to-10 months, even as the government has promised that they would be to settled soon. Hotel owners have written to officials in this regard, but to no avail. When contacted, Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said the Finance Department is on the verge of allocating Rs 109 crore to clear all bills until the month of May.
Many hoteliers are depending on this to clear debts suffered during the pandemic. M Venkadasubbu, of Darling Residency, says the government owes him Rs 1.5 crore. “The money should have been given long back. We request the State government to intervene immediately.”
“We have been running from pillar to post to get our money. The government owes Vasanta Bhavan Rs 2 crore. Bills are pending from February onwards,” says Vasanta Bhavan’s executive chairman M Ravi, adding that there is no clarity on when the money will be paid. “We would be happy if the State government clears the bills before Deepavali,” he adds.
“Since the dues haven’t been cleared, we are unable to pay our suppliers. Everyone — from vegetable vendors to grocers — has been impacted due to the delay in clearing the bills,” says Venkadasubbu.