January 3: Industrialists affiliated to the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry has requested the Nepal Electricity Authority to resume supply of electricity within 24 hours to the industries where the state-owned utility has disconnected electricity lines.

The chamber made such appeal amid a press conference on Tuesday after the NEA started disconnecting the lines of the industries that are yet to clear their electricity bills for using dedicated feeder and trunk lines.

According to the chamber, the NEA has disconnected the lines of 23 industries so far.

The chamber argues that the NEA’s move to halt power supply to the industries will have an adverse impact in the overall economy of the country.

A statement issued by the chamber says that the NEA’s decision to halt power supply to the industries might result in the closure of the industries that are already grappling with crisis due to recession. This might result in job loss of 20,000 to 25,000 workers, the statement added.

The chamber further said that this move will even trouble banks that have invested in the industries and will have a serious impact in the overall economy.

Industrialists say that the dispute surfaced after the authority demanded the industrialists to pay the dues for consuming electricity even after the end of load shedding. They allege that the authority is trying to force them to pay the bill for the electricity they have not consumed.

The statement mentions that the industrialists have been subjected to injustice due to the unreasonable stance taken by the NEA.

The NEA had supplied 24 hours electricity to the industries at a higher charge even during load shedding through the dedicated feeder and 20 hours of electricity during 6 hours of load shedding through the trunk line. The industrialists allege that the NEA has demanded higher rate for electricity consumed by the industrialists even after the end of load shedding.

The chamber has requested the formation of a high-level committee to resolve the electricity tariff dispute immediately. The chamber has urged the government to include representatives from the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Confederation of Nepalese Industries and the Nepal Chamber of Commerce as well as Nepal Electricity Authority in the committee.