Give us 10 days to clear power bills, say industrialists

Industrialists from Udyog Vihar have written to the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) to grant them a 10-day window period, which would enable them to clear their outstanding electricity bills.

The DHBVN sends electricity bills to industrialists on a monthly basis, along with a grace period of seven days to clear the outstanding bills. They are required to pay a penalty (surcharge) of three percent of the total bill, in case they miss the deadline.

They claim that the bills are always delivered two or three days after they are generated,. This leaves them with very little time to clear their dues

The DHBVN has hired delivery boys for the manual delivery of the electricity bills, and the maximum grace period for the payment is seven days from the date of generation.

The industrialists said that they have written to the chief engineer, Sanjiv Chopra, and superintending engineer, KC Aggarwal, and even raised the issue with the sub-divisional engineers. The DHBVN generates bills by the 15th of every month with a deadline to clear them by the 21st of the same month.

Anurag Shokeen, an industrialist, said, “We have paid surcharges on several occasions. DHBVN delivery boys often deliver bills 3 or 4 days late , and we often fail to pay bills on time. We have urged the Chamber of Industries of Udyog Vihar to take up the issue with senior DHBVN officials.”

The industrialists also said that if an electricity bill is of ₹1 lakh, three percent surcharge would mean ₹3000 just for the delay by an hour or a day. The DHBVN should improve the system or grant us at least 10 days.

Ashok Kohli, president of the Chamber, said, “Many industrialists got bills on Monday (June 18), even though the bill was generated on June 15. Now the industrialists have to pay it by Thursday in order to avoid penalty. Two of them are away and will only return on Thursday evening. There are many such instances when we pay surcharges for a day’s delay”

Justifying Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam’s action, Aggarwal said, “We will consider their request for 10 days. However a time period of seven days is good enough. We will also tighten the noose on our bill delivery boys. Udyog Vihar industries are our priority, and we have given them unhindered services.”