Rush hour

Power connections would be snapped if consumers fail to make monthly payment of their electricity bills, a warning issued by Bihar State Power (Holding) Company stated.

“The connections could be snapped any time even if the consumers owe a month’s due to the power company. This would be strictly applicable to all types of consumers be it domestic, commercial or industrial.I appeal to all consumers to make timely payments to avoid disconnection,” said Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Limited deputy general manager (public relations) H.R. Pandey.

The message that no one would be spared is evident from the fact that the New Capital division discon- nected the power connections of around 36 employees and officials, both retired and serving, of power companies, a source in the Patna Ele- ctric Supply Undertaking (Pesu) said.

Energy department secretary and the chairman- cum-managing director of Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Ltd Sandeep Poundrik held a meeting with Pesu’s senior officers on Tuesday to review its performance and revenue collection.

Buoyed by the revenue collection of Rs 100 crore in August, the CMD gave Pesu a new target of Rs 120 crore revenue collection for September and asked the officers not to spare anyone if they owe energy dues of even a month.

However, exceptions have been granted to organisations and institutions that provide public service such as water supply, hospitals and hostels.

The decision to snap power connections has not gone down well with the consumers.

“This is unfair on the part of the power company. A person has a lot of responsibilities on the domestic front. Connections should not be snapped if a person fails to deposit the bill for a month,” said Sanjeev Kumar, a resident of Kankerbagh Colony.

Satya Prakash, a resident of Rajiv Nagar, said: “The power company should concentrate on the big fish and not the small ones if it wants to increase its revenue.”