Mumbai: A year after its power supply was restored, Siddharth Nagar in Chembur (east) Thursday had its supply disconnected once again over non-payment of bills. An Adani Power spokesperson claimed that 90 per cent of the residents of the area had not paid their bills for 14 months. This, despite the assurance given by them last year after their power supply was cut off. In 2018, their power supply was restored after four days following intervention by the state government. The residents owe Rs 77 crore to Adani Power.
In the morning on Wednesday, Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd. (AEML) disconnected power supply to Siddharth Nagar Colony.
One of the residents, who is also a political party worker, Sandesh Pawar, accepted the fact that the residents had not paid their electricity bills since many years. “It is not the residents’ fault. A few people from the area are telling residents that if they give their consent for redevelopment to a certain builder, he will pay their outstanding electricity bill.”
According to the residents, they were ready to sign a consent form in favour of the builder but they wanted him to pay their outstanding electricity bills first. Mr Pawar said, “In the last eight years, nearly six builders have come and gone without doing anything. A few builders paid a certain amount against the outstanding bills but later refused to pay the remaining amount and did not take up the redevelopment project.”
“The builders paid some amount but the power company refused to deduct the same from the outstanding bills,” he said.
Meanwhile, an AEML spokesperson said, “Despite issuing several notices and offering extensive options of part-payments, the unpaid electricity bills of the residents of Siddharth Nagar Colony have accumulated to over '77crore. AEML had restored the power last year on the assurance that payment would be made within three months. The payment is still outstanding. Accordingly, under section 56 (1) of The Electricity Act 2003, AEML will be disconnecting supply to the defaulters. Power will be restored once outstanding payments are cleared.”
