Nagpur:- While attending to a complaint of a fuse call in Vandevi Nagar area under Binaki sub-division of Nagpur city, stones and bricks were pelted on the employees of MSEDCL and on the tower ladder, in which the staff escaped narrowly. Along with this, senior technician Subhash Gharat, who had gone to disconnect the power supply of the outstanding customers at Bishnoor in Katol Rural Sub-division, has also been attacked recently. In both these cases, a crime has been registered against the concerned MSEDCL.
MSEDCL employees are working to keep the power supply of customers smooth in heat, wind and rain. But often they have to suffer the wrath of customers for no reason. But for those government employees who have direct contact with the public and who have to fall victim to the wrath of the public and are beaten on occasion, the I.P.C. Section 353 of the Indian Penal Code provides for severe punishment for the accused. Based on this section, MSEDCL has taken a strict role against the attackers in the incidents of attacks in the past few days and the MSEDCL administration is pursuing to punish them severely. Crimes are registered under Sections 353, 332, 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code against those who assault electricity workers. According to Section 353, the accused is punishable with imprisonment up to two years and fine, while under Section 332, there is a provision of imprisonment for up to three years and Section 504 and Section 506 provides for severe punishment on charges of assault to life. MSEDCL is constantly trying to make strict use of all these sections to punish the accused.
The MSEDCL administration has given indications that taking serious incidents of beating up the employees of MSEDCL who are going to collect electricity bill arrears, they are insisting on strict police action against those who beat them up. MSEDCL being a public sector company, profit making is not the objective of MSEDCL. But the existence of MSEDCL depends on the recovery of money for each unit of electricity sold. MSEDCL is facing financial problems due to the increase in arrears of electricity bills, MSEDCL has appealed to the consumers to make regular payment of electricity bills online.
If MSEDCL offices are surrounded, employees are locked up, vandalism and arson are going on, how can MSEDCL officials and employees do their work?’ This question is frequently raised by the employee unions. If the electricity arrears are not recovered as intended, it will be impossible to supply electricity. However, electricity consumers must also understand the side of MSEDCL. Due to disconnection of their electricity supply due to arrears, some defaulters have been beating the employees of the electricity distribution company, threatening to kill them, vandalizing the office, and cases have also been registered against the concerned. Considering the seriousness of the incidents of assaults on the electricity workers, the MSEDCL administration has initiated follow-up with the relevant agencies for immediate arrest of the accused and severe punishment to the accused.
