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Residents of Aakriti Eco City Society in trouble over pending electricity bills

Families residing in a posh Aakriti Eco City Society are living in perpetual fear that electricity supply may be discontinued anytime because the builder had declared himself insolvent. A power substation had been installed for supply of electricity by a builder, for the residents of a colony, under the agreement with MPEB which demanded an additional amount to be paid by the residents of the colony. The residents claimed that they had already made the payment of all the water and electricity bills to the builder as a substation had been built for the society by the builder.

Around 8000 to 10000 families residing in the Aakriti Eco Society were asked to pay an additional 3 to 4 crores in all to lay a fresh network of electrical supply by the MPEB (Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board). The residents claimed that they had made payment to the contractor appointed by the builder to lay cables and install transformers for electricity supply according to the size and kind of house they occupied.

An amount of Rs.50,000 to 70,000 was paid for electricity by each house for the electricity supply depending on the house. The builder had set up a power substation of his own in agreement with the MPEB but bills were issued by AG 8 Limited and not by MPEB.

When the builder declared himself bankrupt about a month ago, the residents were told that electricity supply may be discontinued due to pending bills. It seemed that the bills had not been deposited with MPEB. The Residents Welfare Society urged MPEB to take over the electricity supply system which would cost 3 to 4 crores to replace the existing network with a new one.

The electricity supply was made on 33 KV line while the MPEB would supply it on 11 KV line requiring new cables and transformers besides a 10,000 sq.ft. space in the colony which was unavailable. The residents clearly stated that it was between the builder and MPEB as they had already made the payment.

The manager of MPEB Vidya Nagar, Mr.Sandeep Sahu stated that the builder had taken a single point connection from MPEB and had put up a power station which was not an individual one. In case the residents wanted an individual connection, the Resident Welfare Society would have to pass a resolution and the MPEB would put up a new power station after making an additional payment.

Since the builder had declared himself insolvent the colony had been taken over by the National Council of Appellate Tribunal. The contractor Mr. Ashok Johri admitted that the residents were in trouble for no fault of theirs.

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