CHENNAI: State power utility TANGEDCO has ordered its chief engineers (CE) to inspect 93,000 disconnected power services across the State and collect pending dues of Rs 100 crore expeditiously. According to Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation data, there are 93,083 disconnected services in Tamil Nadu as on January 11, 2022.
Of these, Chennai (South-2) has 14,924 disconnected services, Chennai (West) 13,558 services, North Chennai has 12,286, and Chengalpattu circle has 11,646 disconnected services. It has been noticed that most of the services showing as DC (disconnected) are actually live, leading to revenue loss to TANGEDCO.
A senior official told The New Indian Express steps were taken to issue notices to erring consumers who had used more than 500 units before disconnection. Field workers were also told to take meter readings accurately.
"Recently, TANGEDCO chairman and managing director Rajesh Lakhani conducted a meeting with board directors and instructed officers to close services that were in DC status for more than 180 days," the officer said.
These services had outstanding due of at least Rs 100 crore. In some cases, the defaulters failed to pay even the minimum charge of Rs 140 per kilowatt.
As per rules, consumers who fail to pay electricity charge for more than 180 days must be removed from service and their meter confiscated. But TANGEDCO has been continuing to maintain the accounts of these disconnected services for a few years in violation of rules.
When The New Indian Express asked officials about this, they said the State government has to take a call as most of these defaulters are politically connected.
'Most defaulters are politically connected'
When asked why connections of defaulters weren’t snapped, officials said the State govt ought to take a call on this as most of these defaulters are politically connected