THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI:
The Opposition Congress on Thursday demanded that the Electricity Department first move to recover the energy dues arrears of nearly Rs 1,460 crores from commercial, industrial and government office consumers before turning the screws on minor transgressions by domestic consumers.
"Power Minister Ramkrishna alias Sudin Dhavalikar should first take steps to recover the amount from these defaulters before checking power overloads of common people," the party's media cell chairman, Amarnath Panjikar said at a press conference on Thursday.
Flanked by Mahila Congress leaders -- Sonal Malvankar and Saee Volvoikar -- Panjikar slammed Dhavlikar for protecting industrialists and power guzzlers and attacking the poor people.
He said, there are nearly 14,000 defaulters on electricity bills from the 'Commercial' consumer category and another 635 in the industrial category.
Yet another 2,669 defaulters are government and local bodies, he said, adding that as many as 3,480 of these defaulters owe the department more than Rs one-lakh and most of the dues are pending from 2018-19, he said.
Panjikar also raised the issue of inefficiency in the department despite the government having spent Rs 12,000 crore on power distribution infrastructure between 2019 and 2023.
"Power Interruptions continue. Recently, Verna and other Industrial Estates faced power outages for almost three days. Industries face this problem regularly and households also don’t get uninterrupted power supply," Panjikar alleged.
75 Electrocution deaths since 2019
Amarnath also expressed alarm over the deaths of 75 people reported due to electrocution since 2019, including several staff of the department. Also, 50 animals including 'Gomataas' have got electrocuted in this period, he added.
"Industrial power guzzlers are causing loss to the State's treasury. I am surprised that Sudin Dhavalikar sits with Mauvin Godhino who was charged of facilitating power thefts by these power guzzlers," Panjikar said and urged the minister to check the residential apartments and houses being illegally used as Homestays in the tourism sector which should be hauled up first.
