KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has directed Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to not stop electricity supply to the industries until the dispute over the tariff related to dedicated feeder and trunk line is resolved. He said a study is being carried out to resolve the dispute over the tariff.
PM Dahal telephoned NEA Managing Director Kul Man Ghising and issued this directive following his meeting with a delegation of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) led by its president Chandra Prasad Dhakal at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar, Kathmandu on Monday.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister assured that he would take the initiative to sort out the dispute at the soonest by keeping the FNCCI, the Electricity Regulation Commission and NEA at one place.
The NEA on September 3 issued a notice asking the industries to pay within 15 days their outstanding electricity tariff of the dedicated feeder and trunk line. The notice cautioned the industries that electricity supply would be stopped if they failed to clear the dues amount within the deadline.
FNCCI suggested the government take special initiatives to protect the industries in the present time of economic crisis when they are operating at less than 40% of their capacity.
"We need support and cooperation at the present time. Our demand is that more problems should not be created," said FNCCI President Dhakal. FNCCI has asserted that industries and businesses are facing a continued crisis following the Covid 19 pandemic and entrepreneurs will be further discouraged if the power supply is cut in such a situation.
