In-house shock: 27 employees evade payment of electricity bills to the tune of Rs 80,000
In an irony of sorts,the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL),which regularly carries out electricity theft detection drives and also penalises those who are found guilty,has received a shock treatment from its own staff. As many as 27 employees belonging to the Maharashtra Generation,Transmission and Distribution companies have evaded payment of their electricity bills to the tune of Rs 80,000. Sajag Nagrik Manch president Vivek Velankar received this information under RTI.
Following this,the MSEDCL has disconnected power supply to the quarters of these employees residing in Aundh and Ganeshkhind.
Velankar had sought information regarding the employees who have evaded tax dues till March 1,2009. In the reply,MSEDCL has provided a list of 27 defaulting employees. The tax dues of employees residing at companys Ganeshkhind subdivision quarters is around Rs 62,000,while that of those living at Aundh quarters is Rs 18,800. The amount of tax evasion ranges between Rs 600 and Rs 10,000.
Velankar said,This shows how the law is brazenly breached by the employees of government establishments like MSEDCL. If the power company has employees who do not care about paying their electricity bills,it has no right to disconnect the power supply of the general public. This might be happening because the employees think that nobody can harm them,as they are part of the establishment. He said in this particular case,some of the defaulters had not paid bills even for the past six months,which shows their lack of respect for the rules.
MSEDCL chief engineer (Pune division) S P Nagtilak said,Apart from carrying out power theft detection drives in slums and other residential areas,we do keep a tab on our own employees in this regard. But,in the future,we are going to be extra vigilant on this front.
He said the power connection of the defaulters has been cut.