Bhubaneswar, Nov. 26: The state government today asked the Central Supply Electricity Utility (Cesu) to stop collecting more money towards security deposits from consumers.

Energy minister Arun Sahu said: “We have asked Cesu not to collect the money. The department has sought a detailed report on this issue.”

Cesu had issued a notice that those who failed to pay the additional security amount would have their connections severed. The additional amount was supposed to be collected from next month.

After people raised a hue and cry over the issue and threatened to drag Cesu to court, Sahu today called a meeting of the Cesu officials.

People have taken exception to the fact that at the time of getting connection, they had made security deposits.

Their argument was that even if they were old rates, there should have been no revision, as is in the case of telephone and cooking gas.

Sources said the state government today intimated its views to the Cesu management.

It said it would not be proper for the public utility to collect the extra money when the winter session of the Assembly was scheduled to begin from Tuesday.

Cesu chief B.C. Jena said: “The management will abide by the decision of the government. However, we had not done anything wrong. We are following the rules and regulation of the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission.”

Cesu had aimed to collect nearly Rs 20 crore from consumers through the additional amount.

Kalpana Das, 50, a consumer said: “ We are relieved with the government’s decision. Otherwise, I would have had to pay another Rs 800 towards additional security deposits.”