Chief secy led panel to look into free power supply to Gaushalas

PSPCL HAD STOPPED FREE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY TO GAUSHALAS ON JUNE 19 OVER GOVERNMENT DUES

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the Punjab government to form a committee comprising the state’s chief secretary and the chairman of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to look into the demand of guashala owners of free electricity.

The high court bench of justice Rajan Gupta acted on a bunch of pleas filed by gaushalas from different districts challenging hefty power bills that the PSPCL has imposed.

On June 19, 2018, the PSPCL had issued a circular whereby free electricity supply to registered gaushalas in the entire state was stopped, on the grounds that the government had not provided budgetary provisions for free electricity. The gaushalas were also slapped recovery notices of arrears from 2016.

They had argued that Punjab imposed cow cess on various items/services through the local bodies under section 7 of Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955, and is collecting a huge amount from citizens for the pur

cows. not amounts the unconstitutional, told. imposed On providing state the supply The to two contrary, government unjust government budget paise to gaushalas enrichment the per the for court state which unit free and electricity cow was was has of is it cess through cess thus on should consumption the the have imposition amount been of collected used electricity, of cow for the electricity, March purpose 2016, the the of court government providing was told. free had In notified gaushalas. free Justice electricity Gupta to directed that the committee thus formed will look into the matter within two months. The government assured the court that the pending decision of the committee on the recovery of dues shall not be affected, and the supply of electricity shall not be disconnected till the authorities take a