SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Dec 17: DVC’s load shedding pressure for payment of pending bills has plunged cities and towns of seven districts of North Chotanagpur Division in darkness.
As per JBVNL officials, DVC Kolkata headquarters has said in a fresh notice that since the total due amount of the pending bill has accumulated to Rs 2,173 crores, the organization has been left with no other option but to reduce power supply as coal companies are also not being paid to continue coal supply.
DVC in its notice has also pointed out that in eight months of the current financial year (April to November), the due amount on the Jharkhand government has reached Rs 549 crores while Rs 1,624 crores were previous arrear.
According to DVC, as per the agreement the Jharkhand government has to pay Rs 160 crores per month but against it, only Rs 100 crores are being paid. However, the notice said that despite assurance and agreement, the Jharkhand government did not pay the bill. So now, DVC is compelled to take the drastic step (load shedding).
DVC supplies 600 MW power in seven districts of Jharkhand including Dhanbad, Giridih, Chatra, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, Koderma and Chas (Bokaro) that fall in its command area.
Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited Dhanbad Area Board’s General Manager Ajit Kumar said that DVC cuts power supply for 7.5 hours (three times in 2.5 hours each) in 24 hours.
“Though the board is taking supply from the national grid to cater the requirement of Dhanbad and Chas (Bokaro), DVC load shedding has severely affected daily activities,” he said.
However, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, Giridih districts face 12 to 10 hours of load shedding in a day from DVC. A consumer of Ramgarh, MK Sinha said that DVC cuts the power supply four times (2.5 hours each) in 24 hours.
“Major problem is that DVC does not have scheduled time for load shedding. It cut power in the morning and in the evening peak hour,” said Sinha.
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