Deshmukh: Bill blow

Mumbai/Nagpur, Sept. 11: A portion of Ramgiri, Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh’s official residence in Nagpur, was plunged into darkness today when its power supply was cut off because electricity bills amounting to Rs 1.20 lakh are yet to be paid.

The move was part of a drive by the Maharashtra Power Distribution Company to recover dues from Nagpur’s top defaulters.

Company officials landed at Ramgiri this afternoon and disconnected two of the seven meters in the bungalow.

“We had published an advertisement in August listing the top 10 power defaulters. Among them were two meters in Ramgiri listed in the name of the Public Works Department (PWD), which have dues of Rs 85,000 and Rs 35,000. Today, we disconnected the two located in the staff quarters,” said K.P. Sasi, a junior engineer with the state-owned power utility.

Sasi clarified that power supply to the portion of the bungalow where the chief minister stays has been not been disturbed.

Ram Dotonde, a company spokesperson, however, said the amount has been exaggerated. “The media reports are incorrect. The power supply to the staff quarters attached to Ramgiri has been disconnected due to non-payment of Rs 35,000.”

Sasi and his team of officials also snapped the power supply of various government buildings in Nagpur, which owe Rs 45 lakh to the power company.

The offices of the collector, the Employment Guarantee Scheme and the rural and urban tehsildar, besides some buildings of the PWD are among the defaulters.