Power dept turns rich!

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Oct 9: Officials of the state electricity department in Malda have been able to collect Rs.83, 114 as fine from 75 Puja organisers across the district on charges of malpractice in power usage.

A total of 464 Puja organisers were allowed to get power connections officially from the electricity department in this district and paid Rs. 6, 43,875 for electricity consumption charges in advance based on the estimated rate of consumption for lighting their Puja pandals.

“During inspection of Puja pandals in last four days officials detected malpractice in seventy five Puja pandals where organisers were consuming excess power than the estimated rate of consumption stated earlier in their applications to get power connection”, said Mr. Dipak Mandal, divisional manager of the State Electricity Distribution Company Limited in Malda.

According to the departmental report, the vigilance team had inspected ninety eight Puja pandals on 5 October of which they detected that 21 Puja committees were involved in malpractice and the rate of power consumption was higher than stated earlier. The team had been able to collect fine of Rs.15, 059 from 21 truant committees.

On 6 October, the team visited 112 pandals. Of them 21 Puja committees were consuming excess power illegally. The electricity officials imposed fine of Rs. 32,297.

The team also detected malpractice in 26 Puja pandals out of 77 ones on 7 October. Only seven Puja pandals out of 63 ones were asked to pay fine of Rs. 5,962 as penalty for consuming power illegally on 8 October.

This drive to inspect Puja pandals will make them more aware about electricity consumption, the electricity officials claimed.

The state electricity officials also observed that Puja organisers were serious about consumption of power this year than previous years.

“The department has been able to provide uninterrupted power supply during festivals because Puja organisers consumed power less than the records of previous years by using LED (light emitting diodes) lamps which had reduced the total consumption by one forth ”, said Mr. Dipak Mandal.