SHILLONG, March 17: The Opposition Congress on Wednesday requested Power Minister, James Sangma to review the decision of disconnecting the lines of consumers for not availing the One Time Settlement Scheme (OTSS).
Raising the issue during Question Hour, Congress MLA from Umroi, George B. Lyngdoh said MeECL took the disconnection decision hurriedly despite very few consumers coming forward to avail of the OTSS.
“MeECL is facing acute financial stress. Disconnections are taking place because there is an urgency to recover whatever dues there are,” Sangma replied.
Informing the House that some have availed the OTSS due to disconnection, the Power Minister said: “We have been able to make a recovery of Rs 19 crore because of the action taken by the vigilance wing of the MeECL. We have to understand it is trying and difficult times for MeECL.”
He also said that the total outstanding dues till December 2020 was Rs 554.7 crore.
Stating that there is a disconnect on the ground, Lyngdoh cited the case of a consumer whose payment of Rs 10,000 against dues of Rs 22,000 was rejected.
“What is happening is that nobody is gaining. The consumer does not get power and MeECL is not taking whatever is being paid while the last date of the OTSS has not been extended,” he said.
Lyngdoh said the arrangement of collecting dues should be eased when only Rs 19 crore out of Rs 544 crore has been recovered.
“I request the Minister to kindly review this decision at his level so that the power supply can be restored and some dues collected,” he added.
Seeking the details of the consumer concerned, the Power Minister said: “OTSS is flexible in nature and we understand the ground realities and are sensitive to the difficulties people face. Therefore, if the need arises, these payments can be made in installments.”
He also said the OTSS has been extended till March 2021 and it is a scheme to incentivise the consumers to clear their outstanding dues. It was clearly mentioned in the notice that the OTSS will not happen in the next five years and disconnections will start after the validity ends, he added. “Come forward and avail this scheme before we go on a disconnection spree,” he added.
The Umroi MLA tried to drive home his point of reviewing the disconnection decision. “You may be able to recover 10% of the dues by March 31. But what will happen to the other liabilities? And consumers having to wait five years to get their connection back is a cause for concern,” he said.
Sangma agreed Lyngdoh’s concerns were genuine and said the department would try to convince the consumers to avail OTSS. “We will review and take his suggestion into consideration,” he added.
Raising a supplementary question, Gambegre MLA Saleng Sangma said MeECL started installing meter box after the last Assembly session but the bills were going to villages without electricity.
The Power Minister noted his concern.
