Dues not paid, power supply to Vedaanta likely to be snapped

Gurgaon: Over 350 families living in Sector 108’s Raheja Vedaanta society face the threat of disconnection of power supply due to a pending bill of over Rs 1 crore from the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN). The society had earlier received a notice to clear its pending bill within 15 days, and as that time period comes to an end, there is uncertainty over what will happen next.
The residents claim that it is the developer who is at fault in the case, and the residents should not be made to suffer because of it. Gautam Sen, RWA president of the society, said that they have filed a petition seeking a stay order on the power disconnection in the district court.
According to the residents, the power supply to their society has been provided through a temporary connection which was taken while the society was being constructed.
Even after getting occupancy certificate in November 2014, the developer failed to build the 33 kv electricity infrastructure in the society, which is requisite for a permanent connection.
Since November last year, the DHBVN has started billing them at Rs 13.30 per unit as the discom in its notification in April said that it would charge a rate that is double of the total consumption of units plus the fixed charges, from those who have taken a temporary connection for a period of more than two years.
However, the residents challenged the discom decision and filed a petition in the district court in December seeking direction to the developer to pay the difference of amount between domestic and non-domestic rates till the time developer complied with its liability and provided them with permanent connection.
“The court had directed the developer to pay the difference of amount, but they are not doing it, and as a result there has been a sword hanging over our head of electricity disconnection. We have already paid Rs 7.56 crore to the developer for the electrification of the society and building power infrastructure, but till date nothing has been done, while the residents continue to suffer,” said Gautam Sen.
“Most of the nearby societies, who have got the permanent connection, are paying the bills ranging between Rs 5.50 to Rs 8 per unit, but we are forced to pay the electricity charge at Rs. 13.30 for no fault of ours. ,” another resident said.