Big Fishes Put Electricity Board in Dark

Consumers standing in queue to pay the electricity bill.

KOTTAYAM: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is struggling to recover pending arrears of electricity bills from government offices including District Hospital, Municipality and Water Department here.

Consumers arrears in Kottayam amount up to Rs 2,22,128 whereas government departments owed Rs 81,08,539. “The amount to be paid by the government departments are under the court's jurisdiction as their are disputes regarding settlement of bills, the moment the cases being finalised, we will be able to recover the amount,” said Senior Superintendent of Kottayam Central Electric Section, Mrs Girija B Panicker.

Assistant Engineer of Kottayam Central Electric Section Mr Biju S said “We are not authorised to collect money from the government departments although they are on the list of defaulters of arrears.”

He said they divided the arrears into two sections such as permanent and personal. In the permanent section they include defaulters such as District Hospital, Water Department and Municipality to name a few whereas in the personal section they include all private consumers.

On the recovery status in Kottayam Mr Biju S said they are efficient in collecting the arrears from the private consumers but in case of government departments, it is quite difficult for the ongoing court cases.

About the consumers who have major amounts of arrears in Kottyam, Mrs Panicker said they can not reveal the names and the pending amount till the court cases have been settled.

Minister for Power Mr Aryadan Mohammad stated in the assembly session last month that in last one year the department has recovered Rs 100 crore out of Rs 1,300 crore arrears pending in all Kerala.