27.5% of power defaulters in Faridabad fail to clear dues

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, February 8

More than 27 per cent of power defaulters in the Faridabad operation circle have not availed the benefit of the bill settlement scheme that came to a close on January 31. They owe Rs121 crore to the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN).

Under the scheme, the DHBVN had offered to waive the interest and surcharge on the pending amount, besides readjusting the amount on the basis of minimum average.

Of the 99,200 defaulters as on June 30 last year, 56,057 cleared their dues, resulting in waiving of Rs161.6 crore. This is around 70 per cent of the total dues in the circle, sources say.

In all, 15,800 consumers paid their dues without availing the benefit of the scheme.

Of the remaining defaulters (27,343 or 27.5 per cent), 19,674 have their connections disconnected. Their dues amount to Rs80 crore. In all, 7,669 defaulting consumers are still enjoying the power supply. “The distribution company is left with no option but to disconnect the supply of such consumers if they fail to clear the dues with full surcharge and interest,” said PK Chauhan, Superintending Engineer, DHBVN.