ONGOLE: The Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Ltd (APCPDCL)-Ongole circle will launch a new initiative ‘Gadapa Gadapa ki Energy Assistant/ Volunteer’ programme along with special drives to collect dues from consumers and keep a check on power thefts.
The initiative is planned to be launched in Kothapatnam mandal as a pilot project. After analysing the results, it will be implemented across the APCPDCL limits. The Ongole Circle authorities will collect dues and receive feedback on the services and lapses as well as keep an eye on malpractices simultaneously.
As per the official information, ‘Gadapa Gadapa Ki Energy Assistant’ programme, energy assistants will visit each household under the concerned village secretariat limits and will enquire about low voltage, billing complaints, electricity thefts, power transit losses, pole damages, accidents, electricity consumption meter complaints and many more. They will focus on public grievances and department related information regarding the electricity services.
Further, the energy assistants will submit their report to the concerned AEs and ADs and in turn they will submit a consolidated report to the SE. The SE will direct the officials to take necessary action on the public grievances.
On the other hand, the APCPDCL-Ongole circle is taking all necessary steps to collect long pending dues. “Earlier, the circle had to collect around Rs 470 crore dues from the public and private sector electricity consumers and with our continuous efforts, now the long pending dues decreased to a tune of around Rs 240 crore. We are further planning to collect at least Rs 100 crore by this financial year ending,” KVG Satyanarayana, superintending engineer (SE), APCPDCL-Ongole Circle, told TNIE.
“The APCPDCL staff will visit defaulters and collect information. So far, we have collected nearly Rs 160 crore from the government sector and Rs 70 to 75 crore from the private sector consumers,” the SE explained. As per the official sources, the Ongole Circle has to collect Rs 230 crore due from the public and private sectors.
Of the remaining due amounts, the government sector dues are at Rs 130 crore. The SE directed the AEs and assistant accounts officers to collect the dues before March 31.