PSPCL acts tough on depts

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, August 10

In a bid to ‘discipline’ defaulters and recover mounting arrears towards pending energy bills, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has disconnected power supply to more than 12 government offices, including utility services and rural water works.

According to Gurpreet Mohinder Singh Sidhu, Additional Superintending Engineer of Aggar Nagar Division of the PSPCL, the power supply of welcome glow sign board put up by the GLADA at the entry point of the city and also to the fountain on Ferozepur Road was disconnected for non-payment of arrears of about Rs 2 Lakh.

Similarly, supply to the offices of Forest Department, housing board, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Sub-registrar (Haibowal and Humbran Road) was also shut down for default in payment of more than Rs 12 lakh.

Sidhu said the rural water works at Balloke, Threeke and Barhahara villages, put together, had arrears of energy bills worth nearly Rs 56 lakh. “Power supply to the water works was disconnected but restored in the public interest as the Department of Rural Water Supply had promised to make part payment of arrears by tomorrow. In case of default, power supply will be again disconnected,” he added.

FIR against telecom company

The PSPCL Chief Engineer/Central Zone, NPS Boparai, has said an FIR had been lodged against a telecom company for causing damage to 66-KV power cables in the course of drilling to lay underground optic fibre cable, which led to simultaneous line fault in 66-KV circuit of Gausgarh-Tajpur Road-Phase VIII and 66-KV circuit of Gausgarh-Phase VIII-Indira Parl on August 8, 2017.

He said due to disruption in power supply for a long time, not only the consumers had to suffer in adverse weather conditions but the PSPCL also suffered a financial loss of about Rs 40 lakh due to non-supply of power to industrial consumers during that period.

Boparai said even on two earlier occasions, 66-KV cables near Tajpur Road and Amaltas substations were damaged due to drilling by a telecom company to lay underground cables. “The PSPCL is committed to providing uninterrupted power supply to its consumers and persistent efforts are being made towards this end.”