Nagpur: SNDL, the private power distribution franchisee in city, has observed that there are a few identified areas of Nagpur where power consumers have not paid their energy bills since long. These consumers usually avoid meeting with the recovery team but mob up and manhandle the recovery teams when they go for disconnection.
The situation is not rampant in entire Nagpur but is limited to certain pockets. Prominent areas where such dues are growing by the day are Mominpura, Tajbagh, Nara, Lashkaribagh, Shanti Nagar, and areas adjacent to Pili Nadi.
Here it has been assessed that nearly 12,000 consumers have defaulted their payment since more than a year now. It is assessed that these consumers owe a total of whopping Rs 33 crores towards their current outstanding. Mominpura alone houses more than 1450 such consumers who have defaulted their payments to a tune of Rs. 3 Crores out of the dues mentioned above.
These consumers have posed a big challenge to the distribution franchisee as it has proved to be very difficult for a private operator with almost no protection to operate in this area.
In the press release issued by SNDL it was informed that certain very positive steps taken by the administration and police department in recent times at Nagpur, SNDL is receiving a very supportive environment from both these important functions. Therefore, SNDL has successfully disconnected a few big defaulters at several locations with the support of city police. In several of these cases, recovery is also hoped very soon.
In one such event, today on 16th of February 2019, a mass disconnection drive was conducted at Mominpura where the recovery and disconnection teams of SNDL successfully disconnected (10 permanent and 3 temporary disconnections in all) 13 defaulters who owed nearly Rs.28 lakh towards their energy bills.
The activity which began at around 11 AM led to immediate gathering of mob at the location where consumers started opposing disconnection and even manhandled the assembled teams. However, the team of around 20 policemen deployed by Tehsil Police Station intervened instantly and facilitated the disconnection where payment was resisted.
PSI Shri Jadhav who was leading the police team himself intervened on several instances and was seen counselling the residents to pay their energy bills regularly.
