Govt depts, politicians owe PDD Rs 73 crore
TNN Bureau. Updated: 1/14/2019 11:38:16 AM
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JUNAID SIDIQ
SRINAGAR: At a time when the state is facing acute shortage of electricity owing to the lack of infrastructure due to paucity of funds, various government departments besides politicians and industrialists owe whopping Rs 73.73 crore as electricity bills to the Power Development Department (PDD) till August 31 this year.
According to official figures, administrative departments have approximately Rs 53.38 crore outstanding balance.
Some of the major defaulters in government departments include Srinagar Municipal Committee (SMC) that has a total outstanding of Rs 6.73 crore; Health department owes Rs 9.20 crore; Estates owe Rs 8.28 crore and Revenue department owes Rs 1.89 crore to the PDD.
Among security forces, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and JK police owe Rs 19.97 crore and Rs 1.41 crore respectively to PDD.
In CRPF, among many camps, 157 Battalion camp near Tatoo Ground has not paid power dues amounting to Rs 2.07 crore to PDD. 23 Battalion stationed at Old Karan Nagar has to clear power bills amounting to Rs 6.03 crore. 23 Battalion New Secretariat Srinagar owes Rs 70.02 lakh to PDD.
Similarly, CRPF Bunker Commandant Exhibition owes Rs 1.85 crore to the Power Development Department (PDD); CRPF Bunker Commandant Tengpora owes Rs 1.52 crore; CRPF Bunker Commandant Solina owes Rs 1.38 crore.
In police some of the major defaulters include District Police Lines that owes Rs 28 lakh, Crime Branch of J&K Police owes Rs 22 lakh, SSP Control Room (New Sec) I and II owe Rs2.61 lakh, SSP (CIK) owes Rs 2.17 lakh, Women Police Station owes Rs 13 lakh, SP Operation Cargo SOG owes Rs 57 lakh while IGP Railways owes Rs 12.8 lakh.
Many prominent politicians also feature among the defaulters list. The data reveals that politicians of different parties, who are currently occupying government accommodations, owe electricity charges worth Rs 42.4 lakh to the PDD.
Among the prominent political leaders who owe money to PDD include PDP leader Sartaj Madni, whose total outstanding is Rs 3.78 lakh, PDP leader Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura who owes Rs 1.21 lakh, PDP leader Mohammad Shafi Bhat who owes Rs 1.84 lakh, Congress leader Abdul Gani Vakil owes Rs 4.20 lakh and National Conference (NC) leader Akbar Lone has total outstanding balance of Rs 79367.
The industry sector also owes Rs 31.53 lakh to the PDD. The figures reveals out of 31.53 lakh, government run silk factory alone has a total outstanding of Rs 25.28 lakh till August 31 this year.
A senior PDD official, wishing anonymity, said that at the end of fiscal year all the pending bills to the PDD under the “book adjustment is being paid by the State government.
“It is the Finance department that from its own exchequer clears the outstanding amount of these CRPF, politicians and government departments. So practically PDD is at no loss,” an official said.