SDOs pulled up for failure to snap power connections of defaulters

Mukesh Tandon

Panipat, July 6

The Superintending Engineer (SE), Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), Panipat Circle, has served show-cause notices to six Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) for not disconnecting power connections of big defaulters and for not participating in the meeting despite the directions of the Chief Engineer, Rohtak division.

The SE has sought an explanation from SDOs and told them to file their reply in two days. The Chief Engineer, Rohtak Division, had directed officials to cut the power connections of defaulters who owed hefty payments against power bills but didn’t deposit the dues to the department in April.

Following the directions, the SDOs began disconnection of power connections but reportedly left out a large number of defaulters who owe crores of rupees to the UHBVN.

Taking a strict note of the issue, SR Dharam Suhag served show-cause notices to six SDOs on Friday. SDOs Manoj Kundu in Israna, Nihal Alam in Biholi, Parwinder Rathi in Bapoli, Himmat Singh in Samalkha have been pulled up for not disconnecting power connections of the defaulters while SDOs Kuldeep Punia in Model Town and Anjali Sharma in Sanoli road subdivision have been questioned for not attending the meeting called by the Chief Engineer held at Rohtak on July 2.

SE Suhag said if any satisfactory reply was not received, disciplinary action would be initiated and the concerned Junior Engineers may also be held responsible.

Meanwhile, some consumers had also complained about incorrect power bills, he said. Their bills had been corrected and handed over to them, he said.