Author: Prafulla Marpakwar
Publication: The Times of India
Date: March 25, 2007
Introduction: Mahadiscom has threatened to
snap power supply to the politically powerful Mula Pravara society if it fails
to pay up arrears of Rs 930 crore
Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and senior
NCP leader, energy minister Dilip Walse-Patil, are on a collision course over
the disconnection of power supply to the politically powerful Mula Pravara
Cooperative Electric Supply Society following its failure to pay Rs 930 crore
dues.
A month ago, the Walse Patil controlled Maharashtra
electricity distribution company (Mahadiscom) had served a 15-day notice to
Mula Pravara after it failed to pay the dues. However, instead of paying up,
the society, controlled by veteran Congress MP Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, sought
Deshmukh's intervention, following which he stayed the snap order.
While the directive issued by Deshmukh was
still in force, Mahadiscom served a fresh notice on March 23.
Mula Pravara society managing director S D Pandit confirmed the receipt of
the notice. "We have received the notice. In our opinion, the amount
mentioned by Mahadiscom is exorbitant. Our case is pending before the appellate
authority. We have also urged Walse-Patil to review our ease," Pandit
told TOI.
Mula Pravara, which supplies power to an estimated
1.5 lakh consumers was the first such society to be set up in 1971. Since
then it had been procuring power from the erstwhile MSEB and supplying to
Shrirampur tehsil of Ahmednagar, the home town of Vikhe Patil.
A senior Mahadiscom official said though the
rate was Rs 2.80 per unit, the society had been paying just 42 paisa per unit
since 1999, running up massive arrears.
However, Pandit said Mahadiscom should offer
a viable tariff. "They are billing us for Rs 22 crore per month, while
our income is less than Rs 5 crore," he added.
Mahadiscom is of the view that Mula Pravara
should not be given any concession since it is supplying power at a higher
rate. "If the government is keen on supplying power to the society at
a cheaper rate, it should pay the difference to Mahadiscom," a senior
company official added.
prafulla.marpakwar@timesgroup.com
