Puja power tariff to be collected as per existing norms in Odisha

CUTTACK: Tata Power Central Odisha Distribution Limited (TPCODL) had to bow down before puja organisers of the city as it revoked its decision to install energy meters at pandals. The dicsom will collect electricity tariff as per the existing method adopted in 2019. However, it will install meters at the pandals on an experimental basis.

In a bid to check whimsical consumption of electricity by puja committees, the TPCODL had decided to install energy meters at puja pandals this year. As per the system, the puja committees would have had to pay per unit of energy consumed as per the meter reading.

The decision had not gone down well with the majority of puja committees which apprehended inflated bills. Opposing the move, the puja committees had taken up the matter with Cuttack Mahanagar Shanti Committee which then approached the administration for a viable solution on the issue. A meeting was then held between office bearers of the Shanti Committee and officials of TPCODL under the chairmanship of CMC Mayor Subhas Singh on Wednesday.   

After threadbare discussion, TPCODL officials assured to supply electricity to the pandals as per the method adopted in 2019. Energy meters will be installed at the pandals on an experimental basis to calculate consumption of energy at the end of the five-day festival.

Though the decision has come as a relief for puja organisers this year, they apprehend imposition of heavy power tariff which will be calculated on the basis of meter reading in the coming years.   

As per the existing method, though the puja committees deposit around Rs 10,000 each for temporary connections prior to the festival, there was no way of calculating the cost of electricity used at the mandaps as a result of which department has to bear the burden of supplying an additional 300 MW electricity to meet the needs of the city.

“Though the TPCODL officials have assured to supply power to puja pandals as per the old method this time, the  possibility of charging electricity bills through meter reading in coming years’ Durga Puja festival cannot be ruled out,” said Mahanagar Shanti Committee general secretary Bhikari Das. He said puja committees have been asked to use less energy at their pandals.