Launch a special campaign to recover dues from industries: Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy

VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Energy and Environment Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy instructed all the officials concerned to undertake special drives towards collecting all the arrears from the industries.

He also insisted on taking steps to resolve court cases immediately. The Minister conducted a review meeting with AP Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL) authorities at the Secretariat on Friday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister asked the electricity distribution companies to provide quality services to the consumers and also directed them to collect pending bills of the electricity.

The Minister asked to expedite the electrification works in the Jagananna Housing Colonies. “At present there is a demand of 250 million units per day across the State, and the demand in both Godavari districts has increased drastically. In these circumstances, the low voltage problem can only be resolved by the construction of new sub-stations. For this tenders are called to construct new sub-stations. The production capacity will be improved in the coming days,” he informed.

He said that a special web portal has been set up for the services provided to the customers under SPDCL and similar steps should be taken to provide services online in EPDCL as well, Peddireddi added. He said the staff has to be trained on electrical safety and also pole to pole surveys should be undertaken to prevent accidents. He further asked to hold meetings with the management of the industries to tackle the peak load situations in the coastal region.

The Minister further ordered to cancel the contracts of the contractors who have failed to commence the 33-kv sub-station works and also asked to put them in the blacklist.

Special Chief Secretary Vijayanand, Genco MD KVN Chakradhar Babu, EPCDCL CMD Prudhvitej and others participated in the meeting.