‘Solution to electricity tariff arrears will be found’

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 30: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has expressed his commitment to find a proper solution to the dedicated feeder and trunk lines tariff arrears disputes after discussing with the concerned agencies. During a discussion with the dedicated and trunk line affected industrialists on Friday, Prime Minister Prachanda said that he was in favour of finding a solution to the dedicated and trunk line disputes in a positive manner, without offending anyone.

The delegation led by President of Confederation of Nepalese Industries Rajesh Kumar Agrawal met the Prime Minister and drew his attention to the issues of dedicated and trunk lines arrears disputes.

According to a press statement issued by the CNI, Prime Minister Prachanda told the industrialists that since this dispute had been going on for a long time, he had a clear understanding that the tariff for used electricity should be paid and the tariff for the unused electricity should not be paid. During the meeting, industrialists requested the PM to resolve the dispute according to the legal system at the earliest.

The Confederation has requested to publicise the details of the TOD meters of the industries which are said to be running their industrial enterprises by consuming electricity from the Authority’s dedicated feeders and trunk lines during load-shedding.

The CNI also urged the Prime Minister to immediately connect the electricity of those industries whose lines have been cut citing that there were arrears without actual base and proof or non-payment of arrears.

Earlier, the NEA had cut the lines of nine of 61 industries which have not paid the huge electricity arrears.According to the Authority, 61 industries have to pay Rs. 22.24 billion in arrears.

In that meeting, President of the Confederation Agrawal said that the industrialists were paying the tariff according to the regular bills issued by the Authority and the industries were also taking incentives for timely payment of bills as per the provision of NEA.

The amount which is said to be not paid by the industries was only premium or special charges for dedicated feeder or trunk line. Agrawal said that if the NEA proved that industries had been availed that special facilities, then all the industries would pay the arrears.

“This issue has been disputed for a long time, some industries have gone to the court, but it has not yet been resolved. In such a situation, cutting the power of the manufacturing and export-oriented industries operating at low capacity will have a negative impact on the overall economy and will send a negative message,” Agrawal said.

Former president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Pashupati Murarka, senior vice president of FNCCI Anjan Shrestha, vice president of CNI Amit More and other affected industrialists participated in the discussion.