KATHMANDU: Despite the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) offering a one-year installment facility to industrialists for paying the arrears of dedicated and trunk line tariffs, the industrialists remain reluctant to pay the amount. The NEA has also extended the payment deadline and allowed the amount to be paid in up to six installments.

Previously, the NEA had sent a letter to industrialists, setting a 15-day deadline to pay the additional fees accrued from January 2072 to April 2075. According to the NEA, industrialists owe approximately Rs 8.25 billion, which includes Rs 6.6 billion in dues and a 25 percent fine. This is significantly lower than the Rs 22 billion initially claimed by the NEA.

However, the industrialists are unwilling to pay, citing a lack of proof from the NEA regarding electricity usage during the specified period. Shashikant Agarwal, owner of Reliance Spinning Mills, stated that they would not pay the amount, regardless of the installment terms provided.

Agarwal argued that if the NEA cannot justify the billed amount, the time extension for payments is irrelevant. He claimed that the NEA’s billing went against the Lal Commission's decision. The Lal Commission, led by former Supreme Court Justice Girish Chandra Lal, was formed by the government to study the dispute and provide recommendations. The commission's report suggested that fees should be based on verified evidence for a limited period.

The bills sent by the NEA have not clearly disclosed the amount of electricity consumed by industrialists. Agarwal emphasized that if the NEA can provide evidence of consumption, the dues would be paid within two days without any need for extended time. The industrialists had previously requested clarification from the NEA regarding the tariff demands.

In a reply to the industrialists' inquiry, the NEA claimed to have provided detailed consumption records from January 2072 to April 2075, specifying the billing categories. However, industrialists, including Pashupati Murarka, owner of Arghakhanchi Cement, stated they had not received such correspondence from the NEA.

Chandan Kumar Ghosh, NEA spokesperson, refuted the industrialists' claims, stating that the installment facility was provided upon their request. He suggested that due to pressure from industrial organizations, some industrialists were reluctant to openly acknowledge their agreement to the tariff. Ghosh mentioned that about 50 percent of the industrialists who have yet to pay the tariff have requested the installment facility.

Contrary to Ghosh's statement, industrialists insist they have not requested such facilities. Murarka accused the NEA of spreading rumors to create division among industrialists and generate unnecessary confusion. He reiterated that there was no reason to request more time for an amount they do not owe.