PUDUCHERRY: Faced with financial crunch, the electricity department has decided to recover around `200 crore arrears of power dues by snapping the connection to defaulters, including government organisations.
The department set into motion a mechanism to recover `136 crore from government offices and organizations, which include `60 crore from three textile mills, `29 crores from domestic consumers, `23 crore from shops and business establishments and `14 crore from Industries, Power Minister T Thiagrajan told
Express.
Moreover, `14 crore is being recovered under Revenue Recovery Act, while `12 crore dues are pending in litigation. A committee (squad) has been formed comprising 20 members, who are reviewing the arrears in each area and giving directions to the operation and maintenance offices concerned to effect disconnection , he said. Only water supply is being spared, he added.
Last week, the Territorial Administration began disconnecting power supply to domestic consumers who had tariff arrears over `1,000. Previously, there was no punitive action from the government for domestic consumers despite arrears running into crores.
Capitalising on this, many, kept arrears pending for several years, resulting in a revenue loss in crores to the government.
Subsequent to this, the administration has taken steps to recover arrears.