Special drive to recover power dues

BHOPAL, March 27 -- The Madhya Pradesh electricity department's drive to seize defaulters' motorbikes, cattle or tractors has run into trouble.

Two state government employees were suspended and an inquiry ordered after videos of an elderly woman running after officials and requesting them not to seize household items circulated on the internet.

Services of two contractual workers who were part of the exercise have been terminated.

The Madhya Pradesh Eastern Area Power Distribution Company Limited has started a drive to recover power dues worth ? 518 crore by the end of this financial year.

Officials of the state electricity department have started seizing motorbikes, water pumps, tractors and even cattle from the homes of long-term power bill defaulters. Hundreds of villagers across the districts of Sagar, Damoh, Chhatarpur, Panna, Gwalior and Morena have received recovery notices. In many cases, vehicles have been seized. On Saturday, a team of electricity department officials reached Rekha Ahirwar's home at Deori in Sagar district to recover power dues. Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Pioneer. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at contentservices@htlive.com