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TPDDL: NDMC owes us INR 62.53 Crore

Tata-owned discom on Saturday claimed that the civic agencies in the national capital owe them a hefty sum towards the electricity consumption for street lighting.

In a press release issued by Tata Power claimed that the NDMC has failed to make any payments in the past two years. “The news report issued by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) that they will issue notice to TPDDL for non-payment of electricity tax is factually incorrect and mischievous. North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) owes INR 62.53 crores towards the electricity consumption bills for streetlights, high mast lights to TPDDL. These payments/ dues are pending for the last two years.” Clearing its stand on the payment of tax, Tata Power said, “On the other hand, TPDDL has regularly, on a monthly basis, remitted/deposited the electricity tax (with the corporation), which it collects from consumers in accordance with the applicable municipal laws. The TPDDL has been regularly following up with the NDMC for payment of electricity dues for last two years and has written several letters and taken up the matter at the highest level in the NDMC and the Delhi government, requesting for timely release of the outstanding amount.”

The statement also added that the civic agency has not been paying the tariff on electricity consumption as per the notified rates. “The NDMC has not been paying the relevant tariff on electricity consumption as per the notified rates declared by DERC (paying at the rate of `6.40 as against INR 7.25 from July 2012-2013 and INR 7.50 from August 2013 to February 2014 for maintenance of streetlights) and has also been delaying payments.”

Owing to non-payments by NDMC, TPDDL was constrained to partly adjust the electricity tax dues for two months from the outstanding payments due from the NDMC. Moreover, TPDDL approached the Delhi high court in June on this issue and the matter is sub-judice.

The discom said the TPDDL, based on discussions with NDMC mayor, had released payment of `13.23 crores last week on the understanding that the amount outstanding of TPDDL will be released by the NDMC. Any further delay in payment of dues by the NDMC may result in a blackout, it warned.

Source-On Request