Rs 3.35 crore pending, JCT Mill power supply disconnected
Phagwara, November 18
Thousands of migrants living in labour colony of the JCT Mill had to face tough time on the first day of Chhath Puja festival when the PSPCL authorities disconnected power connection of the mill due to non-payment Rs 3.35 crore electricity bill on Friday evening.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) general secretary Harbhaghan Singh Balalon and secretary Parveen Banga condemned the state government, the PSPCL and the administration for harassing thousands of JCT workers by cutting the power supply during celebrations of the Chhath Puja.
The leaders said the JCT Mill management fulfilled its promise by depositing half of the payment of workers in their accounts. They said the administration and the powercom were harassing mill workers.
BSP leaders threatened to start agitation again if power supply to the mill was not restored immediately.
When contacted, Additional Superintending Engineer Hardeep Singh said power supply to the mill was disconnected as per rules due to non-payment of Rs 3.35 crore bill by the management.
With the intervention of Karnail Singh, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Kapurthala, the power supply of JCT Mill, which was disconnected yesterday due to non-payment of Rs 3.35 crore electricity bill, was temporarily restored in view of Chhath Puja festival tonight.
The DC said power supply of the mill was restored after five hours meeting of officials with mill management. He said the mill management handed over a cheque of Rs 15 lakh to the administration, which was to be adjusted against power bill dues.
He said the final meeting to resolve the problem would be held at the DC office on Monday. He said the mill management would have to take permission of the powercom to pay the electricity bill in instalments.
