PANAJI: The municipal market in the city, which has been plagued by frequent power failure, has been bracing for disconnection of electricity supply in phases owing to the nonpayment of dues to the electricity department.
Power woes have forced vendors in the market to conduct their business in partial darkness.
The present crisis is a result of the alleged failure on the party of the CCP to pay power dues running into Rs 3 crore to the department.
Market Tenant Association secretary Dharmendra Bhagat said disconnection of power supply due to the nonpayment of power bills by the CCP would inconvenience shopkeepers and vendors as regards toilets and water supply.
“The CCP collects sopo (tax for conducting business) from tenants and it was the duty of the CCP to pay the bills, as all shopkeepers pays bills for their power consumption,” Bhagat said.
Stating that power supply has been restricted to toilets and outer areas for now, he asked as how poor vegetable and fruit vendors would pay for the bills when they find it difficult to shell out for the sopo.
He felt the authorities should empathise with the vendors and pay for the bills instead of passing them on to the poor vendors. CCP mayor Surendra Furtado stated that the corporation waited for a long time and would wait for a few more weeks till the new government is formed to take a call on the issue.
Power is consumed hardly for two hours in the evening till the market is closed for the day, Furtado said.
He asked as to why the power department took so long to send the bills to the CCP, and said the CCP can’t be charged for power supplied for public safety in the night in the market.
“Why can’t the power department wait for a few weeks for clearance of the bills,” Furtado asked.
“The CCP will come to know who has been tampering with the power supply in the night to have such a huge bills,” he said.
The corporation has decided to seek funds from the directorate of municipal administration for meeting water and power requirements.