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MSEDCL faces financial crunch as defaulters pile up arrears
Anushk Nale, regional director of the western Maharashtra region, said, “In the Pune regional division, 15.86 lakh domestic consumers owe arrears to the tune of ₹221.63 crore
PUNE: As the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL/Mahavitaran) is facing a financial crunch due to consumers in the domestic, commercial and industrial categories in western Maharashtra not having paid their electricity bills worth ₹332.79 crore, the campaign to disconnect the power supply of defaulters has gained momentum and the power supply of 50,136 defaulters, including more than 28,000 consumers in Pune district, has been disconnected. At ₹221.63 crore, the Pune region comprising Kolhapur, Baramati and Pune districts has the highest amount of arrears.
Anushk Nale, regional director of the western Maharashtra region, said, “In the Pune regional division, 15.86 lakh domestic consumers owe arrears to the tune of ₹221.63 crore; 1.65 lakh commercial customers owe arrears worth ₹67.40 crore; whereas 33,000 industrial consumers owe arrears worth ₹43.76 crore. The increasing arrears have prompted an accelerated recovery drive. Mahavitaran’s objective is not solely to cut off electricity supply to defaulters but to enforce disconnection for those who persistently refuse to settle their outstanding dues despite repeated appeals.
“In response, efforts to disconnect the power supply of defaulters have been intensified, resulting in the disconnection of power to 50,136 defaulters,” Nale said.
As per the MSEDCL statistics, 257,796 domestic, commercial and industrial consumers in Pune owe the MSEDCL ₹209.36 crore; 1,965,300 consumers in Satara district owe ₹21.21 crore; 257,796 consumers in Solapur owe ₹46.41 crore; 259186 consumers in Kolhapur district owe ₹31.70 crore; and 216096 consumers in Sangli district owe ₹24.10 crore. Due to these arrears, the power supply of 50,136 consumers across western Maharashtra has been disconnected, including 28,558 consumers in Pune district; 5,365 in Satara; 5,598 in Solapur; 4,741 in Kolhapur; and 5,874 in Sangli district.
Rajendra Pawar, chief superintendent of the MSEDCL of Pune Circle, said, “Mahavitaran, facing financial strain, is executing disconnections strictly in accordance with regulations, regardless of the outstanding amount. Additionally, independent teams are verifying disconnected electricity connections to identify instances where defaulters might be sourcing electricity from the neighbours or other places. Action is being taken against such neighbours and associated defaulters under sections 135/138 of the Indian Electricity Act 2003.”
The MSEDCL has also appealed to consumers to conveniently pay their bills online anytime and anywhere through the website www.mahadiscom.in or via Mahavitaran’s mobile app. Furthermore, low-pressure customers with bills exceeding ₹5,000 have the option to make payments through RTGS or NEFT.
