Imphal, October 21: Concerned with the ever growing debt in purchasing electricity from power agencies, the State electricity Department has devised an easier mechanism for consumers to clear their outstanding power tax.

Consumers clearing the pending bills to some extent would automatically mean vast improvement in the power situation that ultimately would boost development of industrial and other business prospects, said chief Engineer of the Department H Bihari in an exclusive chat with The Sangai Express today.

Elaborating on the easy mode of clearing pending power bills, he said consumers are allowed to pay one/third of the total pending amount till such a time the whole dues are cleared.

Consumers were reminded that failure to clear their due amount would subsequently lead to accumulation of debt along with addition of penalty amount at the rate of two percent of the pending dues and appealed to the consumers to avail opportunities schemed/offered by the Department.

The CE disclosing State Government's liability to clear over Rs 130 crores pending dues to power houses like Neepco and Power Grid Corporation of India refreshed the consumers mind that bills collected by the Department do not tally to the State exchequer but is an important exercise to ensure that people of Manipur do not grope in darkness.

The State had been paying Rs 9 crores every month to these power agencies but the same process ceased for the last 6/7 months and the prospect of manipur facing a bout of frequent power cuts cannot be ruled out unless the consumers play their part and pay up their taxes, H Birahari said.

Listing the total number of legal connections (domestic) currently provided by the Department at 9.73 lakhs, he said there is no reason why the State should face power problems if the consumers cultivate the culture of paying up their taxes on time.

Taking into account the backwardness of the State and economic disparity of the general public an easier to clear the outstanding dues was devised in addition to Department staff collecting bills from house to house, he asserted.

Mass protest: The members of Thoubal District Government Employees Co-ordinating Committee has announced its decision to go on a mass protest and mass casual leave on October 25 and 26 respectively against �demands of the unknown organisations�.

A decision to this effect has been taken in pursuance of Resolution No.2 of the executive body meeting held on Oct 18, Committee secretary S Mangoljao Singh informed in a statement today.

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