Holi may face black-outs, thanks to tussle between north civic body, power company
27 March 2013 7:16 AM IST
The streets of a major area in North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North DMC) went dark on Hoika Dahan as Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) stopped power supply in 18 areas at around 7 pm as the issue of outstanding electricity bills could not be resolved.
A larger area may face darkness on Holi as the ruling BJP in North DMC has vehemently criticised the demand of TPDDL to pay commercial rates of electricity for street lights.
According to the spokesperson of TPDDL, over 45,000 street lights in north Delhi and north west Delhi had no power supply at 7 pm on the eve of Holi and the area remained in darkness till late in the night. ‘The representatives of NDPL management were sitting in the office of North DMC from 11 am to 6 pm, but the officers of the corporation did not provide any concrete assurance regarding payment of outstanding electricity bills,’ said the spokesperson of NDPL. ‘We have stopped power supply in 18 areas of North DMC with effect at around 7 pm on Tuesday,’ added the spokesperson. On Monday evening, the power supplier had snapped power supply to six areas, including Ashok Vihar, Rohini, Civil Lines,Wazirabad and adjoining areas.
‘We even offered NDMC to release around 50 per cent of the dues to enable TPDDL to continue supply of electricity. In the absence of any commitment from MCD to pay the pending amount, TPDDL is left with no option but to disconnect the supply indefinitely,’ added the spokesperson. The power distributor has claimed a outstanding of over Rs 45 crore with North DMC, of which around Rs 21.47 crore are late payment surcharge.
‘We informed the representatives of the TPDDL that we need some time to get the approval of standing committee and house for commercial rate of electricity bill being charged on street lights of the corporation,’ said P K Gupta, commissioner of North DMC. The power distributor started charging commercial rates since 26 June 2012, which the corporation refuses to pay contending street lights do no fall under commercial activity.
‘It’s being done at the behest of Delhi government who have 49 per cent stake in TPDDL. Street lights are public utilities not commercial. These companies received crores of bailout packages from public money and are now harassing the public. Even electricity generating companies like NTPC never stopped power supply to Delhi for outstanding of TPDDL,’ said Vijay Goel, Delhi BJP president. ‘Only Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will be responsible for the spurt in crime due to darkness on streets,’ he added.
According to property tax department of North DMC, TPDDL has an outstanding of over Rs 20.27 crore of property tax.
POWER TUSSLE CREATES CHAOS IN ASSEMBLY
Pandemonium greeted Delhi Assembly when power minister Harun Yusuf condemned the irresponsible attitude of North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), which resulted in black out of streetlights for two hours in few areas of Rohini, Keshavpuram, Civil Lines and Wazirpur on 25 March between 6 pm and 8 pm, causing great hardship to the residents. Senior member Saheb Singh Chauhan started the protest by saying, the minister is advocating on behalf of the private power company. The rest of the opposition members began shouting slogans against the Delhi government. Yusuf further made a statement in the house that adequate funds are available with the NDMC, which includes the revenue as e-tax from the Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (TPDDL). ‘It may be recalled that TPDD has paid Rs 14.96 crore as e-tax and no outstanding dues are pending by TPDDL to NDMC. The TPDDL has so far paid Rs 238.7crore e-tax to MCD/NDMC from September 2011 to February 2013. Yusuf also stated that the NDMC has not cared to release payment of Rs 44.01 crore, including the tariff difference of Rs 22.5 crore from September 2011 to February 2013, despite intervention by the chief secretary.
A larger area may face darkness on Holi as the ruling BJP in North DMC has vehemently criticised the demand of TPDDL to pay commercial rates of electricity for street lights.
According to the spokesperson of TPDDL, over 45,000 street lights in north Delhi and north west Delhi had no power supply at 7 pm on the eve of Holi and the area remained in darkness till late in the night. ‘The representatives of NDPL management were sitting in the office of North DMC from 11 am to 6 pm, but the officers of the corporation did not provide any concrete assurance regarding payment of outstanding electricity bills,’ said the spokesperson of NDPL. ‘We have stopped power supply in 18 areas of North DMC with effect at around 7 pm on Tuesday,’ added the spokesperson. On Monday evening, the power supplier had snapped power supply to six areas, including Ashok Vihar, Rohini, Civil Lines,Wazirabad and adjoining areas.
‘We even offered NDMC to release around 50 per cent of the dues to enable TPDDL to continue supply of electricity. In the absence of any commitment from MCD to pay the pending amount, TPDDL is left with no option but to disconnect the supply indefinitely,’ added the spokesperson. The power distributor has claimed a outstanding of over Rs 45 crore with North DMC, of which around Rs 21.47 crore are late payment surcharge.
‘We informed the representatives of the TPDDL that we need some time to get the approval of standing committee and house for commercial rate of electricity bill being charged on street lights of the corporation,’ said P K Gupta, commissioner of North DMC. The power distributor started charging commercial rates since 26 June 2012, which the corporation refuses to pay contending street lights do no fall under commercial activity.
‘It’s being done at the behest of Delhi government who have 49 per cent stake in TPDDL. Street lights are public utilities not commercial. These companies received crores of bailout packages from public money and are now harassing the public. Even electricity generating companies like NTPC never stopped power supply to Delhi for outstanding of TPDDL,’ said Vijay Goel, Delhi BJP president. ‘Only Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will be responsible for the spurt in crime due to darkness on streets,’ he added.
According to property tax department of North DMC, TPDDL has an outstanding of over Rs 20.27 crore of property tax.
POWER TUSSLE CREATES CHAOS IN ASSEMBLY
Pandemonium greeted Delhi Assembly when power minister Harun Yusuf condemned the irresponsible attitude of North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), which resulted in black out of streetlights for two hours in few areas of Rohini, Keshavpuram, Civil Lines and Wazirpur on 25 March between 6 pm and 8 pm, causing great hardship to the residents. Senior member Saheb Singh Chauhan started the protest by saying, the minister is advocating on behalf of the private power company. The rest of the opposition members began shouting slogans against the Delhi government. Yusuf further made a statement in the house that adequate funds are available with the NDMC, which includes the revenue as e-tax from the Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (TPDDL). ‘It may be recalled that TPDD has paid Rs 14.96 crore as e-tax and no outstanding dues are pending by TPDDL to NDMC. The TPDDL has so far paid Rs 238.7crore e-tax to MCD/NDMC from September 2011 to February 2013. Yusuf also stated that the NDMC has not cared to release payment of Rs 44.01 crore, including the tariff difference of Rs 22.5 crore from September 2011 to February 2013, despite intervention by the chief secretary.
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