Moreh, Aug 19: The State Power Department has been facing severe hardships to collect power taxes on one hand and to buy power from other States on the other, said Power Minister Francis Ngajokpa this evening.

Speaking to reporters, Francis disclosed that till the end of July this year Rs 34.253 crores are due to State Government sectors and another Rs 7.185 crores to central Government sectors in addition to Rs 134.836 to the public as power taxes.

Confessing that Power Department is unable to collect the overdue bills, the Minister attributed the inability to lack of sincerity of concerned officials in collecting bills, failure on the part of the public to clear power bills regularly and a large number of unauthorised consumers.

Conveying serious concern, Francis Ngajokpa noted that due to failure of consumers to pay due bills regularly, the State Government is constrained to divert Rs 9 crores every month from other sources for purchase of power from other States or power companies.

Every month the State Government pays a total of Rs 9 crores to NHPC, Power Grid Corporation India Limited (PGCIL) and NEEPCO for purchase of power and against which the power bills collected from the consumers hardly reach Rs one crore, noted Francis.

The previous due of Rs 150 crores was reduced to just Rs 20 crores after Rs 130 crores was waived under central plan assistance, he mentioned.

Even then, as the power bills collected from the consumers in Manipur is dismally low, the Power Department is still facing severe hardships to supply power to the public, disclosed the Minister.

Delay for a day in the payment of Rs 9 crores every month for purchase of power entails a fine of Rs 18 lakhs, Francis Ngajokpa appealed to the people to cooperate with the officials in the collection of power bills and to bear with load shedding exercise.

On the other hand, the Power Minister maintained that the power shortage of the State could be removed if either the Tipaimukh Project or the Loktak Downstream Project is implemented.

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