With the Kalka Municipal Committee (MC) failing to pay electricity bills, the Electricity department has disconnected supply to around 1,060 streetlights of Kalka Bazaar. As a result, the entire market has been in the dark for the last several days.According to Sub-Divisional Officer (Electricity) Sanjeev Bali, the MC had Rs 25.55 lakh due towards electricity bills. He said the department was taking similar action against all defaulters.Of the total Rs 25.55 lakh, MC secretary Mahipal Rana said, Rs 24.93 lakh was the surcharge amount and that the base amount was Rs 62,000, which the committee was ready to deposit any time.MC chief Mohini Nanda said after a meeting with the electricity department last year, they had deposited Rs 4.97 lakh in April 2007, while Rs 1.8 lakh was deposited in November. She said the department had assured them that the balance amount would be waived off after discussion with higher officials, which did not materialise.The Electricity department is also charging a municipal tax of five paisa per unit from all residents of Kalka for providing streetlights.
