Relief for gaushalas, power bills’ recovery stayed for now

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, January 16

Registered gaushalas in the state can breathe easy, at least for the time being, as Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has stayed the recovery of outstanding amount on account of free electricity supply till a final decision is taken by a high-powered committee comprising the Chief Secretary and the PSPCL chairman.

Quoting orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court delivered dated October 12, 2018, in disposal of a petition, the PSPCL has issued a circular saying that the recovery of arrears on account of free power supply to registered gaushalas be kept in abeyance and the supply should not be disconnected till disposal of the matter by the designated committee.

The power utility has also directed its distribution offices – where cow cess is being collected – not to transfer cow cess funds to their respective local government offices till further orders.

In the wake of demand for free power supply in lieu of cow cess being collected by the urban local bodies, the PSPCL had decided to provide free electricity supply to 336 registered gaushalas across the state from May 2016 onwards.

However in May 2017, the facility was discontinued due to failure of the state government to issue notification of subsidy and make budgetary provisions to compensate the PSPCL. In this regard, a petition filed by the PSPCL with the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission was also dismissed on October 13, 2017.

As a result, the power utility had directed its field offices to carry out billing for power supply to gaushalas as per relevant category tariff and also initiate recovery of arrears for free power supply made during the intervening period.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court then came to the rescue of gaushalas and the ruled that the matter be decided by a high-powered committee and till then, free power supply be restored and recovery of arrears be held in abeyance.