Aurangabad, Sept 8:
The joint managing director (Aurangabad Region) of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), Dr Mangesh Gondavale, has directed all the gram panchayats to clear their power dues in one week or else the company would start disconnecting their power supply. The MSEDCL has to recover Rs 2,127 crore dues against the power supply for the operation of the water supply scheme and the street lights to local self bodies in Marathwada.
The JMD underlined that the state government has already ordered the GPs to pay their current power bills from the Finance Commission funds granted to them.
Gondavale was addressing a video conferencing meeting with the Marathwada region's (all eight districts) deputy chief executive officers (DyCEO) of Zilla Parishads, gram panchayats and MSEDCL chief engineers today. There are dues of Rs 2,127.64 crore upon them. Out of which, the state government has ordered the gram panchayats to pay Rs 156.62 crore bills (pending since April 2021). Hence the current year bills should be cleared in one week or else the power connection will be severed from Monday. He also hoped that the cooperation of public representatives in the issue and pinpointed the need for awareness in this regard.
Lastly, the JMD ordered the MSEDCL subordinates to file a case, if any incident of manhandling or beating MSEDCL personnel is reported.