Implement strictly the principle of “Use and Pay”

How would it look like to pick up an item of unavoidable use from a shop or a Departmental Store and walk away without making payment for it? The shopkeeper or the Manager of the Departmental Store cannot but be appreciated to call Police and get the person concerned arrested as it amounts to thieving. Why the same principle cannot be applied in case of those who use electricity and use it lavishly without paying for it? Why should , for example, the State Congress Party at its ShahadiChowk Jammu keep a whooping amount of Rs.39.60 lakh owing to Power Development Department unpaid and register its name among the top defaulters of not paying electric dues which is purchased with poor and honest tax payers’ money ? Again what logic can the former Deputy Chief Minister KavinderGupta (BJP) put forward for sitting over an amount of Rs.14.26 lakh worth of electricity consumed which he has not cleared so far and is a defaulter of the Power Development Department?
We are not very enthusiastic or to eager to record any appreciation in any manner whatsoever, in respect of the Power Development Department getting out of its dormant slumber belatedly and proposing to take “an action” of serving disconnection notices on hard core chronic defaulters of electricity charges payments of years in arrears which include some prominent politicians, former Ministers and Legislators , big business houses etc and not straightaway having disconnected the supply lines first and then started recovery process including up to date interest plus penalties. The defaulters exhibiting “exemplary unity” being from both Jammu and Kashmir provinces are now “touched” only if in arrears of Rs.10 lakh and above. In other words , should we deduce that a benchmark is established to default up to less than Rs.10 lakh? Not that rules and provisions are not in the statute, what is not there is the intention and political and administrative will. This is a travesty and sustenance of the PDD is the avowed responsibility of the already burdened common law abiding and responsible citizens only.
We are to not only respect, guard and eulogize but appreciate those common consumers, honest and law abiding ones, who are impatient to clear the electricity dues every month as early as possible and to vindicate their stand as also the built up indignation that why should they keep the PDD going with their timely payment only to provide free electricity to most of the politicians , some big business houses who otherwise groan at the slight increase of some tax amounting to not more than a few hundreds of Rupees on annual basis but “burn electricity” lavishly and be among the first ones to reprimand , criticise and protest against the PDD in case of some power breakdown or load shedding ? Why should those helming the PDD not be held accountable for not disconnecting the supply lines of those “big wigs” of all hues who default in payment of electricity dues for more than two months? It is an alibi , a hunted cock and bull story and trumped up ruse to dish out ” PDD people are all (using the choicest adjectives)….”when asked as to why payments due to the department were not made .
Can the political leadership, who by rotation or otherwise are “voted ” to rule take a tough stand and even legislate to treat outstanding dues of electricity for more than three months or Rs.10, 000 or both as revenue due to Government and payable, failing which penal action including suspending the power supply line could be initiated ? No , they cannot, because leverage for them to default in lakhs of Rupees could get into trouble and extremely tight besides being totally inexplicable on moral grounds .Is it not, we are afraid, a loot and not merely an ordinary default that there are consumers who owe to the PDD as much as over Rs.39.01 crore (Mohd. Azam Happy Home), Rs.16.67 crore (Infratel Ltd Bahu Plaza), Rs.8.20 crore (Sharma Stone Crusher)Rs.2.34 croreand Rs.2.78 crore -Tramboo Joinery Kashmir and Ikhwan Hotel respectively . All of them , perhaps even both the Congress as well the BJP, would play victims of “militancy” and whatever excuses this state unfortunately is defamed with, for non payment. Strict view has got to be taken and the golden rule of commerce “Use and Pay” enforced otherwise why should those who pay regularly not get “infected” with the virus of using and not paying like some of the numerous which we could mention herein as defaulters

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