Kathmandu. After the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) cut off the electricity line, industrialists have decided to refuse to pay the installment of the disputed dedicated trunk line tariff demanded by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).

Issuing a press release today, the Victimized and Tormented Industries Group (Nepal) said that the disconnection of the power line by NEA is not in favor of the rule of law and stability of national economy.

The aggrieved and oppressed industry groups have also appealed to every Nepali citizen and the young generation (GenG) who have recently taken up agitation for good governance to fight against institutional arbitrariness and unsubstantiated forces. The NRA’s decision has threatened the economic future of every Nepali

{{TAG_OPEN_strong_41} Original question: Why pay if there is no proof?

Our collective decision is based on seven years of institutional weakness and injustice on the part of the Authority

1. Mass rejection: This dispute is a common problem not only of one or two companies, but of more than 30 large industries. The refusal of any industry to acknowledge that they have been using the premium service of the dedicated line for the past seven years clearly shows that there is a serious weakness in the billing system and evidence of the authority.

2. Demand for evidence: Our demand is transparent and just. We have been demanding that the liability be determined only on the basis of the report of the Lal Commission and the TOD meter data formed by the NEA, i.e. the evidence of operating the industry during load shedding. How to make the payment, when the authority does not have proof that we have used the service?

3. Arbitrary Steps: The Authority has ignored the legal process. After the industries were asked to apply for administrative review and deposit 5 percent of the total disputed amount as bank guarantee for the process, the Board of Directors of NEA arbitrarily cancelled the entire process and activities. This is institutional injustice and gross disregard for the rule of law.

National Damage: Economic Suicidal Move

The threat of power cuts is not a legitimate debt collection tactic: it is a suicidal blow to the national economy.

15,000 jobs at risk:

The industries involved in the dispute collectively provide direct employment to more than 15,000 citizens. Cutting off power would shut down these industries and rob thousands of Nepali families of their livelihoods, which would be one of the biggest social crises in the current economic downturn.

Revenue loss to the State

It is said that it is a reliable consumer who pays more than Rs 100 crore monthly bills to NEA. It is against the national interest to jeopardize this stable source of revenue in the name of raising historically disputed debts.

Earlier, 23 industries had suffered loss of over Rs 12 billion due to power cuts for 22 days. The state lost more than Rs 3 billion in revenue including customs, excise duty and income tax. The aggressive action of the state has confirmed that it will cause great damage to the country.

Calling for Just Good Governance

“This dispute is a test hour for Nepal’s good governance. Initially, NEA had claimed arrears of more than Rs 20 billion, but later the Lal Commission recommended to reduce it to Rs 6 billion. This large discrepancy substantiates our claim that the initial billing was arbitrary,” the statement said.

They have demanded that the TOD meter data be used to determine transparent and evidence-based liability. They have demanded immediate halt to all threats and arbitrary measures to cut off power.

It has demanded respect for administrative and legal procedures.

“We are opposed to unsubstantiated and arbitrary power,” the statement said. “Until justice is served on the basis of evidence, we will continue to defend the national economy and livelihoods of more than 15,000 people,” the statement said.