After Cesco and Nesco, the Wesco has finally published a list of as many as 1,25,180 electricity consumers who have allegedly defaulted in payment of their dues since last two years.
Wesco Authorised Officer (AO) Tapas Kumar Patnaik said the pending bills of such a vast number of consumer “has come in the way of quality service to other valued customers”.
At the same time, 2.580 consumers have arrear dues of more than Rs 25, 000 each, Patnaik said. There are also a large number of consumers whose dues are more than Rs 50, 000 each, he said.
“The HT, EHT and industrial consumers have to pay Rs 406 crore, but their cases are subjudice,” the AO informed.
“We have appealed a lot to the consumers to pay their bills totally or by instalments. But they hardly bother to pay the bills. Hence, the last option left before us is to disconnect their electricity connections, Patnaik said.
Through a Press release, the Wesco has asked the customers to pay their bills by February 17 to avoid any unpleasant situation arising out of disconnection of the electricity supply from February 18. The discom has also further urged them to settle any dispute as regards excess billing, payment of pending dues by instalments with the local SDOs, who have been directed to cooperate with the consumers to their best satisfaction.