Faced with an acute financial crisis, the state-run Calcutta Metropolitan Water and Sanitation Authority (CMWSA) has urged power utility CESC to release the refund amount of Rs 6.39 crore.

The refund is due since the State Electricity Regulatory Commission, in an order in 2004, had reduced the tariff for bulk consumers from April 2000. The commission had instructed CESC to pay back the refunds in 60 instalments from August 2004.

?We are in a huge financial crisis. We have requested the power utility to refund the money, either in six instalments or in monthly instalments, as laid down by the commission, but at the prevailing interest rate,? said Abhijit Banerjee, officer on special duty, CMWSA.

The CMWSA authorities have alleged that CESC has not responded to their plea. ?We have written a number of letters to them, but haven?t received a reply. They owe us the money from 2002, but we haven?t got a single instalment,? said Banerjee.

The power utility, on the other hand, has expressed its helplessness in refunding the money. ?The commission, while fixing the tariff, had instructed that all refunds and collections be made in 60 instalments,? pointed out Dilip Sen, executive director (commercial), CESC.

The CMWSA authorities also alleged that CESC has imposed a heavy security deposit of Rs 2.39 crore, which will be adjusted from the refundable amount.

In a letter to the power utility, Banerjee has urged CESC to review its ?unilateral decision to hike the security deposit of an old customer like the CMWSA, engaged in basic municipal services like water supply and drainage?.

Sen attributed the security deposit to the fact that the ?earlier deposits by CMWSA? were not adequate. ?We cannot discriminate among our consumers. The security deposit will be adjusted against the amount that is refundable.?

However, CMWSA employees feel that if they don?t receive the money, their salaries are in jeopardy.

?At this stage, we can?t afford such huge arrears lying unrealised. We will launch a movement demanding the refund from CESC without further delay,? said P.B. Nag, general secretary of Development Employees? Joint Action Committee.