Kathmandu. All the industries that are yet to pay additional fees according to the counting seats of dedicated feeders and trunk lines have paid the money. According to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), all the industries have paid the outstanding installments till Wednesday evening.

A total of 21 industries owed Rs 4.94 billion to NEA. The authority had made a provision to pay the amount in 28 installments. Accordingly, 21 industries have paid Rs 174,46,84,495 as one installment. Still Rs 4.76 billion is yet to be paid. The NEA has installed power lines in all the industries that have paid their dues.

As per the decision of the Board of Directors of NEA held on September 26, a 21-day notice was issued to the industries that have not paid their dues. The notice was issued giving time till October 2. After none of the industries paid their dues within the stipulated time, the NEA had disconnected the power supply to six industries on October 19 and the power supply to the remaining industries on October 22.

This arrears are for additional charges for the use of dedicated and trunk lines from January 2015 to April 2075. The authority has provided the facility to pay by dividing it into 28 units. Accordingly, all of them have paid the first installment.

Consumers willing to pay the amount in monthly installments will get a maximum of 28 months’ installments. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) had said that action would be taken as per the Electricity Tariff Collection Bylaw, 2078 BS if the government failed to pay the arrears within the stipulated time.

Arghakhanchi Cement has reached the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday to pay Rs 448.4 million 32 thousand 573 to NEA. However, the industry has cleared the remaining dues on Wednesday. The industry has paid Rs 1,60,15,450. The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday refused to issue an interim order to the industries that had approached the court after the power supply was disconnected by NEA without paying the dues. The meeting has summoned the cement and the opposition Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) for a discussion on November 30.

President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Chandra Prasad Dhakal has taken the initiative to resolve the dispute over this issue for the past 7 years. On November 3, Dhakal held high-level discussions with Prime Minister Sushila Karki, Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal, Energy Minister Kulman Ghising, Industry and Commerce Minister Anil Sinha, Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal and secretaries. In the discussion, a mid-way proposal was made to resolve the dispute regarding the fee of dedicated feeder and trunk line.

During the discussion, it was said that the disconnected power line would be connected immediately after the industrialists paid the amount equal to one installment of the 28 installments provided by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) as a deposit and not as installments. It was also said that after paying the bail amount, the industrialists could go for a review and seek other legal remedies.

There was a middle-way proposal that the concerned industrialists could submit a review and other details by putting their disagreement in the same application while submitting the deposit to the NRA. According to the proposal, all the industrialists have now paid their dues.