Thane: MSEDCL cuts power supply of hospital with patients, Covid-19 vaccine stock inside

THANE: The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) recently stopped the power supply to the Thane mental hospital over pending bills worth lakhs, leading to complete chaos.
However, the electricity was restored after the intervention of local BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar and other party workers.
According to MSEDCL, the hospital is yet to clear arrears to the tune of Rs 28 lakh for the last four months. Even after multiple notices by the electricity board, the hospital administration failed to pay the dues as it did not receive grants from the government.
Hence, the MSEDCL took the drastic step of stopping the supply of electricity to the hospital.
However, it led to panic among patients as well as the staff members. At least four persons were on oxygen support in the hospital at the time the power supply was cut off. More than 1000 psychiatric patients were also being treated at the hospital, apart from the number of doctors and other staff members.
Besides, as many as 1.60 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines have also been stocked at the mental hospital, from where it is distributed to the civic-run centres.
Slamming the electricity board and calling the move "insensitive", Thane MLA Sanjay Kelkar rushed to the hospital and along with other BJP workers, lit candles and held a demonstration against the state government.
He also said that the agitation will continue until the power supply was restored.
As a result, after almost an hour, officials from the MSEDCL resumed the supply of electricity to the hospital.