SHILLONG, Nov 30: The financially sick MeECL has been burning its candle at both ends, as it were. At one hand it has Rs 1460 crore of outstanding payment liability and an unsettled loan of over Rs 5600 crore and case has not been helped by default in realising payment of Rs 100 crore from some of the industrial houses located at different industrial estates.
At a time when the state is compelled to approach Central Government to bail it out of financial crisis, the MeECL is yet to realize a revenue of close to Rs 100 crore from different industries located at different industrial estates of the state.
A Reply to the RTI filed by a group of journalists, revealed that a revenue of close to Rs 100 crore was yet to be paid by different industries throughout the state to MeECL. As per the RTI, as on September 30, an amount of Rs 98,77,22,38 was yet to be paid to MeECL by various industries located in different industrial estates.
When asked about the action from defaulting industries, the RTI reply said that notices were being served to defaulting consumers and disconnection was also being carried out in accordance with Clause 9.2 of the MSERC (Electricity Supply Code) 2018.
While the state is yet to receive a huge sum of revenue from the industries, the MeECL which is bleeding also has an added burden of clearing payment of Rs 1459.29 crore to different power generation companies including NEEPCO, NTPC and others.
The RTI said that the State has to clear the debt of Rs 656.57 crore to NEEPCO, including outstanding dues of Rs 364.55 crore and 292.02 crore of outstanding surcharge.
In addition, the State has to clear the debt of Rs 5553.71 crore to NTPC Ltd including outstanding dues of Rs 423.59 crore and 130.12 crore of outstanding surcharge.
Besides, the MeECL owes OTPC an amount of Rs 147.08 crore including outstanding dues of Rs 137.99 crore and 9.09 crore of outstanding surcharge.
The State also has to clear the debt of Rs 73.69 crore to PGCI Ltd and Rs 28.24 crore to NHPC Ltd., the RTI revealed.