Top defaulters

• RDPR Department – Rs. 274.98 crore
• Water Resources Department – Rs. 129.63 crore
• Urban Development Department – Rs. 48.50 crore
• MySugar factory, Mandya – Rs. 34.95 crore

Mysore/Mysuru: While every year electricity tariffs see an upward revision burdening the common man and stringent rules like disconnection are enforced, Government Departments have really not bothered to clear their energy use dues.

In Mysuru region alone, 35 Departments owe a whopping Rs. 511.23 crore to Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC).

If a common man, farmer or even apartment complexes and small and medium scale industries do not pay their power bills within the stipulated deadline, they have to live in darkness as CESC teams immediately disconnect power and the supply is restored only after the payment of bills, after much running around. This rule applies only for common citizens and industry managers. There is no one to question the Government Departments and despite many communications sent by          CESC, the Departments either seek more time for payment or do not bother at all, expecting a waiver from the Government, citing losses.

Unfortunately, authorities keep mum or display selective memory when it comes to forcing Government offices to clear the bills. CESC controls 27,858 square km of area that comes under Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu and Hassan and till Nov. 31, 2020, the dues have mounted up to Rs. 511.23 crore.

A major defaulter in paying electricity bills is the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department that owes CESC Rs. 274.98 crore and second in the list is Water Resources Department including the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited (CNNL) that has dues up to Rs. 129.63 crore.

Other major defaulters are the Urban Development Department including the Mysuru City Corporation (streetlight wing) that has to pay Rs. 48.50 crore and Industries and Commerce Department (MySugar in Mandya) that owes Rs. 34.95 crore. The Minor Irrigation Department owes Rs. 6.67 crore and drinking water project installations at villages have pending dues that run up to Rs. 7.24 crore.

Defaulting Departments include the Education Department (Rs. 1.13 crore), Public Works Department (PWD – Rs. 10 lakh) and the Department of Health (Rs. 1.71 crore). Interestingly, the Law Department owes money to CESC though the pending dues are Rs. 13 lakh.

It may be recalled here that during last August, CESC had disconnected power supply to 28 Government offices in Mysuru, including the DC’s office for non-payment of power bills. Despite issuing notices a number of times, the bills were not paid, officials had said.

Later, as the DC’s office and a few other Departments made partial payment, power was restored the same day. Only installations of drinking water supply, lift irrigation, hospitals, the Police Department and other essential services offices were spared. 

Power was also disconnected to the offices of the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), Tahsildar,  Sub-Registrar’s offices, PWD offices and Maharani’s Science College. CESC had disconnected the supply as it had to pay Rs. 900 crore to the Central Grid.