Anisul Islam Noor :
The electricity bills for Tk 6138.22 crore have been lying outstanding with the country’s six power distribution companies as on November 30 this year.
It is because the different state owned institutions and ministries are not paying the bills, sources said.
In this situation, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has formed a committee to determine ways to realize the outstanding bills. Besides, the ministry ordered to prepare the list of organizations and offices of upazila level, a senior power Division official said.
He said that the committee was asked to submit a report by examining how the government’s offices and organizations, electricity bills could be realized regularly. And a letter has also been sent to the Power Cell in this regard.
A separate list of government and non-government offices and Police Stations will be prepared separately for sending it to the Home Ministry, the official said.
A recent meeting in the Ministry showed that the electricity distribution companies achieved important progress in distribution system and curbing system loss, but could not succeed in realizing the remaining bills, sources said.
In most cases, it is not possible to realize bills from government users as well as influential private users. In some cases, the industry is closed and the bill is not paid, Power Division ordered to take special initiative to realize such bills also. Power Division found that that none of the six distribution companies is successful in realizing electricity bill. Of them, the Rural Electrification Board (REB) has remained at the top of bills unrealizing. The REB’s unpaid bills are Tk2116.44 crore. Then the Power Development Board (PDB), Tk 1,486.6 crore, Dhaka Electricity Supply Company (DESCO’s) Tk 553.92 crore, Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC’s) Tk 1018.30 crore, West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDCO’s) Tk 376.10 crore and Northern Power Distribution Company (NESCO’s) ) Tk 587. 40 crore.
According to the ministry, in November, six distribution companies handled 76 mobile courts in order to realize the bills. It punished of 200 people. The amount of fine collected was Tk 97.8 lakh
The Ministry finds that Distribution Companies are behind in handling the mobile court. In October, PDB operated 29 mobile courts. One person only was punished. The penalty was Tk 60.40 lakh.
REB operated 91 Mobile Courts and punished 91 people and realized fine money of Tk 31.97 lakh. WZPDCO executed five mobile courts and punished four people and realized Tk 70,434. NESCO punished 104 people through 31 mobile courts and fined Tk 3.99 lakh.
Power Division Secretary Ahmed Kaikaus told The New Nation on Wednesday adding that the government’s office has the highest amount of electricity bill unpaid.
Municipalities are working for the common people. But their electricity bill is still owing, he said.
The Secretary also said, “Letters have been given in all the ministries for the payment of the unrealized electricity bills and we are hopeful that there will be good response before the beginning of the fiscal year.”
