THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Every so often, you hear about some unsuspecting consumer who has been slapped with a shocker of an electricity bill. And when you hear that, think; there are also people who duck payment, and have done so for years.Unpaid electricity bills have mounted to the tune of over Rs 1,200 crore prompting the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to have a re-look at its dragging Court cases regarding arrears.Up to June this year, the state-run power utility was owed Rs 1,202.59 crore. And nearly Rs 150 crore of it owed by big industries which have court orders preventing KSEB from snapping their power supply. A sum of Rs 117.54 crore was owed by High Tension (HT) electricity consumers who are armed with the Court orders preventing disconnection. Low tension (LT) consumers armed with orders owe Rs 31.44 crore, say figures tabled in the State Assembly.Upto May last, the State Government institutions, state PSUs and cooperatives, local bodies and central PSUs together owed Rs 637.85 crore while other Central Government institutions owed Rs 31.63 lakh.Pressure is mounting on the KSEB with the Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Union Power Ministry asking the state-run power utilities to cut losses and recover arrears. This rigmarole of mounting arrears and interest additions has gone on for so long that the KSEB is now having a serious re-look at the court cases.In many instances, the power utility is vague about the exact sum owed it by a consumer or where it stands visa- vis a particular court case.Collecting the entire `1,200 crore owed it could remain a dream, the KSEB officials said. The Follow-up on the cases had been lax over the years. Efforts are being made to study our exact position on the cases now, a senior official said. Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed said that lawyers had been asked to brush up on the court cases. Most of the cases are in the Supreme Court, and there are a few in the Kerala High Court as well.Private consumers alone owe the KSEB Rs 500 crore, he said. All State Government departments have been reminded of the arrears, he said. But we will not be cutting electricity connections to the water supply or irrigation schemes or hospitals if they default on payments.Supply to their related administrative offices will be cut instead, he said.
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