The Times of India 02.03.2013
Discom threatens to turn off streetlights over unpaid dues
NEW DELHI: North Delhi
residents may have to go without streetlights in the coming days if
their discom, Tata Power-DDL (TPDDL), pulls the plug over North Delhi
Municipal Corporation’s failure to clear dues of Rs 45crore, pending for
about two years. The discom has alerted the police, power department
and the CM’s office, said sources.
“Due to huge outstanding, we may have to disconnect supply of power to the North Corporation
due to financial constraints,” said a notice sent to the corporation
and the Delhi government on February 13. The civic body was given time
till February 25 to respond. But the discom decided to put the plan for
disconnection on hold in the absence of North Corporation commissioner P
K Gupta, who is on sick leave.
The discom says the civic body had been paying bills as per two-year-old tariffs.
“The rates have gone up by almost 80% but the North Corporation
continues to pay us in accordance with the old tariff. This has led to
arrears of Rs 45.03 crore,” said a TPDDL spokesperson. Since September 2011, the power tariff for streetlights has increased from Rs 4.65 per unit to Rs 7.94 per unit.
Reacting to the allegations, North Delhi mayor Mira Aggarwal said that
the bills are highly inflated and miscalculated. “We have been paying
bills for streetlights every month.They can’t just revise tariff any day and send us inflated bills.”