E-Paper
MSEDCL initiates legal action against 19 accused for assaulting staff in past 5 months
In the last five months, there have been 13 reported cases of MSEDCL engineers and employees being assaulted in western Maharashtra
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has initiated legal action against the accused who beat up its engineers and employees in western Maharashtra. In the past five months, there have been 13 cases of MSEDCL engineers and employees being beaten up in western Maharashtra. Six out of the 13 instances have occurred in Pune. The MSEDCL has also appealed to its staff to take police protection if necessary while disconnecting defaulters’ power supply.
In the last five months, there have been 13 reported cases of MSEDCL engineers and employees being assaulted in western Maharashtra. Six cases each were reported in Pune and Solapur districts while one case was reported in Sangli district. A total 19 persons have been accused in these cases. The police are actively working to arrest them. The accused could face imprisonment ranging from two to 10 years under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Meanwhile, Rajendra Pawar, chief engineer of the MSEDCL Pune Circle, said, “In most of the slum areas, our staff faces resistance from the residents. Therefore, we have instructed our staff to take police protection if necessary.”
He said, “Despite repeated appeals, some consumers fail to pay their electricity bills on time. MSEDCL’s staff members visit these defaulters to request payment but unfortunately, some encounters result in abuse and physical violence. Such actions disrupt government work and are punishable under the law. During the end of the financial year, we intensify the disconnection drive to collect the dues from the defaulters. At that time, our staff members face problems.”
Ankush Nale, regional director in western Maharashtra, MSEDCL, said, “MSEDCL is committed to supporting its employees and will pursue criminal charges against those responsible for assaulting or harassing them. Electricity is crucial for everyone, and MSEDCL is a government company. However, the accumulation of unpaid bills is a growing concern.”
Meanwhile, the MSEDCL has initiated legal action against 19 accused. Officials are not sure that they will get punishment as the conviction rate is very low based on the cases registered.
