Khurda: The Central Electricity Supply Utility (CESU) began a power disconnection drive in Khurda district on Thursday in line with its earlier notice to defaulters.
The SDO of Khurda Division, Manas Ranjan Nayak, said 39 special squads disconnected power supply to as many as 53 commercial establishments in the district for failing to pay their arrears. The number of disconnections will go up during the day, he added.
Nayak said there are about 51,000 domestic and commercial consumers in Khurda district. While some consumers have paid their dues, several others are yet to deposit their arrears amounting to around Rs 80 crore. “As the rate of collection of dues has been negligible so far, we have no option but to disconnect power to their houses and establishments,” he added.
Notably, CESU has formed 413 special squads to disconnect power to default consumers in Khurda, Nayagarh, Puri, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Angul, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and a part of Jajpur district.