The Southco on Sunday began its power disconnection drive in the State’s eight southern districts under its jurisdiction against the consumers who gave defaulted in paying their electricity bills.
The power distribution company (discom) had earlier set a deadline of February 15 before its disconnection operation in the districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Boudh, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur, where the company has around 22 lakh consumers. Those having arrears of more than Rs 1,000 were urged to clear the dues by February 15.
While 15.73 lakh consumers have arrears of Rs 1,357 crore, domestic users constitute 79 per cent of the total pending bills, Southco sources said.
Notably, the Cesu discom had on January 16 started a similar power disconnection drive in a phased manner in the nine districts under its purview.