-SATISH HANDA

Information reveals that electricity tariff worth Rs 45.36 crore is pending against government departments at Ambala as on March 31, 2020, which include Rs 2800.92 lakh against Public Water Works Department, Rs 616.38 lakh against Municipal Corporation Ambala (MCA), Rs 556.18 lakh against Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), Rs 91.75 lakh against Irrigation Department, Rs 25.34 lakh against Panchayat Department and Rs 431.16 lakh against other government departments. R.K. Khanna Superintending Engineer state electricity department told that the payments could not be collected and notices sent to defaulters due to Corona virus epidemic outbreak in the state and now action is being taken on priority against them to make payments of all pending bills.

Khanna said, government departments clear all pending electricity bills in the month March every year, whereas most of the government departments pay amount of their electricity bills regularly every month and department tries to collect all pending revenue in the end of March month when financial years closes but this year due to lock down pending bills could not be collected timely and notices are being sent to all electricity consumers now. He said that there are more than three lakh power consumers in twin city Ambala. Most of the government power consumers told that due to lock down they have not received funds from their head office so far as such could not deposit amount of power tariff.

According to information, there are nearly 3500 LED, 3000 Sodium Lights and large number of high mast lights installed on main roads in the town by Municipal Corporation Ambala as such amount worth rs 616.38 lakh is pending against MCA.