Berhampur: After the Central Electricity Supply Utility (CESU), the Southern Electricity Supply Company (SOUTHCO) and North Eastern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha Limited (NESCO) have started power disconnection drive in their respective jurisdictions.
SOUTHCO, as per its earlier announcement, began drive on Sunday to cut electricity connection of people who have not cleared their pending electricity bills in Berhampur. As many as 22 teams of the state-owned enterprise visited different places of the city and disconnected power supply to 250 defaulters and collected a fine of nearly Rs 20 lakh. However, the consumers who have paid at least 60 per cent of their due bills were excluded.
“We had given enough time to the consumers to clear their pending dues. We had even asked people to come to us if they find any irregularity in their electricity bills. Only some consumers approached us. Therefore, we are forced to disconnect electricity supplies as the financial condition of SOUTHCO is weak,” said Assistant Executive Engineer, Varun Choudhury.
Sources said the drive will continue till February 29.
Likewise, NESCO also carried out the disconnection drive in different districts like Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Jajpur.
In Balasore, 30 squads were engaged in the task. They disconnected electricity supply to some of the defaulters and collected some percentage of the total bill from some people whom they advised to clear their arrears in instalments.
Earlier, an ultimatum was issued by the SOUTHCO and NESCO urging the consumers to clear their arrears by February 15 to avoid power supply disruption.