Date:02/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/02/stories/2008050256590300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Transco, civic body at loggerheads

Correspondent

Power supply to municipal office disconnected

The municipality fails to clear dues
Transco’s action decried

VIZIANAGARAM: The disconnection of power supply to Parvathipuram municipal office has deepened the row between the civic body and the Transco. Both the departments have been at loggerheads for the past couple of months. When the Transco disconnected power supply in February demanding immediate repayment of power dues, the municipality, instead of settling the bill, confiscated the properties of Transco saying that it had not been paying vacant land tax for over a decade. The issue once again came to the fore on Wednesday when the supply was once again snapped after the civic body failed to clear the bill for Rs. 5 lakhs.

Municipal Commissioner K. Venkateswara Rao told this correspondent over phone on Thursday that the Transco was to pay VLT to the tune of Rs.16.50 lakhs to the civic body since 1998-99. Where from the municipality will get resources if every department stopped payment to the civic body, he asked.

Condemning the Transco’s action, the Commissioner said that he was on leave and threatened to seize the Transco properties after joining duty in a day or two. The government releases non-planning grant at the end of every quarter after deducting HT tariff, HUDCO loans etc. but it was delayed this time, he added. The Transco property that was seized was still in the municipal office. The Transco, however, did not snap the supply to water schemes.