'Power Is Not Free': Maharashtra Minister Threatens To Cut Supply to Defaulters

"They say 'do this for us, do that for us' but they don't pay electricity bills," the minister reportedly said.

Maharashtra Power Minister Nitin Raut

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Coming down heavily on defaulters of electricity bills, Maharashtra Energy Minister Nitin Raut on Sunday, 27 February, threatened to cut off their power supply if they didn't pay the bills on time.

Speaking at an event in Aloka, the minister said, "They say 'do this for us, do that for us' but they don't pay electricity bills. So, we will cut off their power supply. This (electricity) is not free and we will not forgive (defaulters)," reported news agency ANI.

The minister, who was reportedly anguished over the allegations of exorbitant power bills, added that the power department staff had worked day and night during the COVID-19 lockdowns to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to the public. However, several persons didn't pay electricity bills on time, he said.

"When you were sitting at home in lockdown, people were working here for you day & night. You used refrigerators, coolers, TVs, laptops & we provided you 24-hr electricity supply. Our people were on the road day and night and many of them lost their lives," he said, as per ANI.

This comes at a time when farmers in the state are protesting against the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) for cutting off the power supply of agricultural consumers. The farmers allegedly pointed out discrepancies in the power bills and said their bill amount would halve if the same was fixed, reported NDTV.

(With inputs from ANI, NDTV.)