Tk 156cr PDB bills remain unpaid
The outstanding bills of Tk 156.63 crore of Power Development Board (PDB) remain unpaid in Chittagong region until October this year, said Chittagong PDB Additional Director (Commercial Operation) Mohammad Basharuzzaman Khan.
The bills in arrears continue to increase every year due to shortage of human resources at PDB, Chittagong and it could not hold mobile court drives regularly for lack of magistrate, he added.
PDB could collect Tk 278.78 crore as bill against Tk 296.13 crore due to its over 5,22,800 consumers during the first four months of the current fiscal year in Chittagong region comprising Cox's Bazar and the hill districts of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban.
Tk 17.35 crore remains as arrears during this period while PDB witnessed a system loss of 12.08 percent as well.
The bills of Tk 139.89 crore still remains unpaid for 2006-2007 fiscal year, gradually increasing the bills in arrears at Tk 140.42 crore for 2007-2008 and Tk 141.10 crore for 2008-2009.
The arrears bills made a sharp increase when it stood at Tk 156.63 crore after four months of 2009-2010 fiscal year.
Of the defaulters, private organisations topped the list with arrears bills of Tk 116.73 crore, autonomous organisations Tk 16.80 crore and government organisations Tk 10.14 crore as of April this year.
Sources at the PDB said magistrate was not available for conducting mobile court after the separation of judiciary in November, 2007 and only an executive magistrate hears the cases.
Taking advantage of the situation, the large organisations did not pay their arrears bills and illegal connections contributed much to the system loss, sources added.
On the other hand, there are only 73 meter readers against 113 posts in 17 divisions, including nine in Chittagong Metropolitan area under the southern zone.
The number of meter readers is quite insufficient against over 5.22 lakh consumers in the region, said the sources.
Due to shortage of human resources, the meter readers were very often make an average bill for those whom they can not visit. The average billing creates complexities and contributes to further increase in the amount of outstanding bills, they said.
The PDB, however, during its regular drives disconnected 26,964 connections defaulting bills amounting to Tk 43.44 crore from January 1 to December 21. It realised Tk 7.73 crore against the arrears bills to restore connection of 6,614 subscribers.
Chittagong PDB Additional Director (Commercial Operation) Mohammad Basharuzzaman Khan admitted the increase of arrears bills due to lack of drives by mobile court and sufficient meter readers.
“The mobile court drive led by a magistrate helps realise arrears bills and collection usually increases in June and December every year since the different organisations pay their arrears during this period,” Basharuzzaman said.
He said they carry out regular drive on their own to realise the arrears bills.
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