Navjot Singh Sidhu has defaulted on power dues, alleges PSPCL

GS Paul
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, July 2

At a time when Congress MLA and former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was targeting his own government and the erstwhile Akali Dal over the ongoing power crisis in Punjab, he, himself, had forgotten to clear the power dues of his own house in Amritsar.

Sidhu has on his name, an outstanding power bill of Rs 8.74 lakh pending for his house in Holy City locality for the past several months.

Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) Superintending Engineer GS Khaira said, “It was the bill of over eight months which was to be paid. Sidhu owed us (PSPCL) Rs 17,62,742. But he had paid an amount close to Rs 10 lakh in March, when we conducted recovery drive. Later, he had some objections over the surcharge amount and kept it pending. His case is being reviewed,” he said.

The Tribune has procured the electricity bill copy which testified to it. Ironically, the last date to pay the pending bill was today only, i.e,. July 2, 2021, but it was not paid.  

The original bill amount was Rs 8,67,540 and after adding surcharge post due date, it stood at Rs 8,68,499.

It is ironic that the common consumers with outstanding bill amount would face disconnection, but Sidhu enjoyed immunity as the PSPCL was unable to take action.

Today, in a long Twitter thread, Sidhu suggested the Punjab government to bring a new legislation “to cap power purchase costs to prices available on the National Power Exchange at any given time...thus, saving people of Punjab’s money”, …..stop depending on private thermal plants and buy power from the national grid to reduce the cost of electricity in the state.

Incidentally, when Sidhu was stripped of Local Bodies portfolio, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had offered him the charge of Power Ministry, which the former had refused and quit the Cabinet in 2019.

Despite repeated attempts, Sidhu could not be reached as his phone was switched off and none of his staffer was available for comment.