Maharashtra: Over 1,500 schools in Raigad lose power supply due to non-payment of bills

Alibaug: The Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) has stopped power supply to over 1,500 schools in Maharashtra's Raigad district over non-payment of dues, an official said on Tuesday. Power supply has been disconnected to 1,549 schools of Raigad Zilla Parishad, of which 679 have lost electricity permanently, the MSEB official said.

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The supply has been stopped due to non-payment of bills to the tune of Rs 49.74 lakh, he said. Electricity supply has been disconnected at 118 schools in Pen, 91 in Pali Sudhagad, 74 in Mahad, 57 in Poladpur, 51 in Karjat, 45 in Panvel, 32 in Roha, among other Zilla Parishad schools in the district, the official said.

Last year on December 22, the power supply to 1,254 schools has been disconnected for unpaid electricity bills. As many as 5,279 Zilla Parishad schools in eight districts of the region owe Rs 9.82 crore to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. The schools whose power supply has been stopped are required to pay Rs 3.47 crore.

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The highest number of schools that didn't have electricity supply was in Aurangabad district (238). There were 171 schools without power supply in Jalna district, Beed had 152 such schools, Latur 199, Osmanabad 134, Hingoli 75, Nanded-175 and Parbhani 110, as per MSEDCL officials.