Despite repeated notices,over 100 government schools have failed to pay pending power bills amounting to ₹70.23 lakh to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
As per PSPCL records, these government schools owe around ₹70 lakh in electricity bills to the PSPCL for dues extending over six to eight months.
As per the data, of the four circles (suburban, east, west and Khanna), schools falling under the suburban circle are the primary defaulters as they owe ₹29.46 lakh to the power corporation.
In the suburban circle, comprising Jagraon, Ahmedgarh, Raikot, Adda Dakha, Jagraon tops the list with ₹12.95 lakh pending bills.
As per PSPCL records, there are 53 schools in Jagraon that have not paid their electricity bills in the last six months.
Requesting anonymity, a primary school teacher said, “We have written to the district education office asking them pay the pending electricity bills. We have received several reminders from PSPCL and since the school does not have any funds to pay to the corporation, we have written to the head office requesting them to clear the dues. Our school owes around ₹12,000 in power bill to PSPCL.”
In 2018, the state education department had directed the schools to send details of the electricity bills so that funds could be sanctioned to clear the dues. Before that, primary and middle schools had been paying the bills from their pocket but currently these schools have no funds to pay bills. However, the high and senior secondary schools have been regularly paying the electricity bills on their own.
{{/usCountry}}In 2018, the state education department had directed the schools to send details of the electricity bills so that funds could be sanctioned to clear the dues. Before that, primary and middle schools had been paying the bills from their pocket but currently these schools have no funds to pay bills. However, the high and senior secondary schools have been regularly paying the electricity bills on their own.
{{/usCountry}}District education officer (secondary) Swaranjit Kaur said, “Few schools have sent reminders asking the department to provide funds to clear the power dues. We will soon release funds to the schools to clear their pending bills.”
District education officer (elementary) Rajinder Kaur could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
“Even though the pending bills have not been cleared, we are not planning to cut connections of schools as it comes under essential commodities. We are taking up the matter with the higher authorities and urging them to clear the outstanding amount at the earliest,” said DPS Grewal, engineer-in-chief, PSPCL (central zone).