The Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) has decided to disconnect electricity supply to houses of defaulting power consumers from April 16.
The Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (MePDCL), a subsidiary of MeECL, said that the period given to consumers to settle their power bills under the One Time Settlement Scheme had ended on March 31.
It may be noted that MPDCL had on November 4, 2020 announced the One Time Settlement Scheme for all categories of defaulting consumers (including permanently disconnected consumers) to recover long outstanding dues of electricity bills as on March 31, 2020. The scheme was valid up to March 31, 2021.
Today, the MePDCL issued a general notice as per the relevant provisions of the MSERC (Electricity Supply Code) Regulations, 2018 to all the defaulting consumers informing that with effect from April 16, MePDCL would commence rigorous electricity disconnection drive under Section 56 of the Electricity Act, 2003 against all defaulting consumers not enrolled/opted for this Scheme (including consumers who opted the Scheme but failed to comply with the terms of the Scheme).
“This notice shall be treated as notice for disconnection to all defaulting consumers of the MePDCL. The list of defaulters is available at the website of the MeECL www.meecl.nic.in. There shall also be prosecution proceedings against those permanently disconnected consumers who have failed to settle their dues under the scheme or otherwise,” MePDCL said.
It may be noted that under the One Time Settlement Scheme offers waiver of 100 per cent of Delayed Payment Charges (DPC) or 30 per cent of the total outstanding dues, whichever is more beneficial to the consumers.
This One Time Settlement Scheme is not applicable for any surcharge or penalty accumulated against bills raised for any theft, meter tampering or any other malpractices.
Power Minister James Sangma had on March 17 informed the Assembly that the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) had recovered Rs 19, 02, 47,452 of the Rs 554.72 crore of outstanding dues from customers through the One-Time Settlement Scheme from 3,152 consumers.
Again on March 19, Sangma informed the Assembly that four industrial units in the State have paid outstanding dues of over Rs 14.46 crore under the One Time Settlement Scheme out of a total of over Rs 31.18 crore, the remaining of which has to be cleared by March 31.
