Schools owe Rs 1 crore in power bills to Delhi Vidyut Board

NEW DELHI: The department of education owes over Rs 1 crore in electricity bills to the erstwhile Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB) for power usage for the period before distribution was privatized in 2002. Schools will now have to compensate for it and pay Rs 1.05 crore to the Delhi Power Supply Company Ltd, a holding company that was formed after unbundling of DVB. The Directorate of Education sent a letter dated April 1 to the deputy directors in the districts to “forward the enclosed bills to the heads of government schools, in whose names electricity connections are sanctioned and meters installed in buildings.“ The letter has told them to pay and submit their compliance report within a month.

A total of 36 schools across 12 districts have been mentioned.The largest amount, Rs 30.04 lakh, is owed by Government Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya on Sultanpuri Road. The Government HR Secondary School, Old Rajender Nagar owes Rs. 12.41 lakh and Government Boys Secondary School at Avantika, Rohini has dues of Rs.10.7 lakh. Of the 36 schools, 16 owe over a lakh in power bills.

Eleven schools in areas now supplied by BSES Rajdhani Pow er Limited collectively owe Rs 40.80 lakh. Another 11 in BSES Yamuna Power Limited areas owe Rs 30.01 lakh and 14 in Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited areas owe Rs 34.53 lakh.