Pending bills: Forest Department’s power connection cut

Uppinangady: Mescom has shown the consequence of not paying the electricity bill by the Forest Department, through a power cut that lasted 60 continuous hours.

In the backdrop of not having paid the electricity bills since three years with the charges coming up to Rs 45,800 and non-payment of bills even after notices were issued, Mescom suddenly cut all power supply without prior notice on Friday. Consequently, the computers at the Forest Department’s office stopped functioning. In the rising heat of the summer, the fans remained still. For emergency documents, they had to rely on cyber cafes. The additional bills decided earlier by Mescom, are now becoming a burden for the Forest department.

It became inevitable

Three notices were sent to the Forest Department. There was no response. Amidst this, I had visited the Divisional Forest Officer’s (DFO) office with the aim to convince that it was a part of the government. But at the office no one attempted to speak with us. Even when no one reacted to the request to speak with the DFO on the pending bills, cutting the power supply became inevitable, explains Mescom Assistant Engineer Rajesh.

Did not respond properly

“I had requested direction through a letter on the pending bill issue from the higher officials. But till now, no proper response has come. If power supply is given even when there are pending bills, there is a possibility that Mescom officials will ask questions and hence this action was implemented,” explains Shilpa, Assistant Executive Engineer