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Industrialists consider filing petition against PSPCL
Amid lockdown in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak, the industrialists have been demanding that the government may extend the last date to submit the bills with no penalty or interest.
BLURB: Amid lockdown, the state government has failed to fulfil their demand of extending the last date for submitting power bills
With the state government failing to extend the last dates for submitting electricity bills, members of the Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisation (FICO) are now considering filing a petition against the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
Amid lockdown in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak, the industrialists have been demanding that the government may extend the last date to submit the bills with no penalty or interest. Further, they have been seeking that the fixed charges be waived off and the bills be generated by the PSPCL on the basis of actual consumption, as the factories are closed.
FICO president Gurmeet Singh Kular and senior vice-president Vipan Mittal said the state government has used Force Majeure clause in making payments to the power generators and has asked the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) to specify a reduced rate of late payment surcharge.
“Similarly, the PSPCL should not charge penalty from the state industry as it is closed and reeling under losses due to the lockdown,” Kular said, adding that the state government can stop payment of interest, which is paid to the industry for the security amount, which is then submitted with the PSPCL.
“However, nothing in this regard has been announced and so we are considering filing a petition against the PSPCL in court,” Kular added.
Mittal said while the states including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat have already announced relief for the residents, the state government is still in a deep slumber.
CICU PRESIDENT SEEKS MAKING PAYMENTS IN INSTALMENTS
Besides, Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) president Upkar Singh Ahuja has also demanded that the state government may allow the industry to make payments in instalments during the financial crisis.
