PANJIM: The Power Department has informed that it has collected Rs 339.39 crore and Rs 121 crore respectively on electricity bill payments through the departmental and upay.com portal in the last two years.
As per the official data, the power department has collected Rs 339 crore through electricity bill payments via the departmental portal for the period from 2016 to October 2017. Similarly, the power department has collected Rs 121 crore for the period from 2015 to October 2017 via the upay.com portal.
The department has further said that it has taken steps to popularise the online payment facility through advertisements on the department website www.goaelectricity.gov.in, advertised on the reverse of the printed bill and on local dailies.
“The information kiosks installed at Panjim, Mapusa, Ponda, Vasco and Margao are also enabled for online payment facility. The Department has also enabled a mobile app for online payment facility in the month of June 2017 and popularised it through advertisements on local dailies,” the power department official said.
When asked about the frequent power failures during the monsoons and the steps taken to curb the same, the official said, “The interruptions have mostly occurred during start of monsoon season due to natural calamities such as lightning, thundering, heavy wind and rain, falling of trees, tree branches on power lines resulting in breakage, snapping of the conductors, puncture of insulator.”
Meanwhile, the department officials also informed that it takes appropriate action such as tree cutting, greasing of Air Break switches, maintenance of lines and equipment, re-jumpering of 33kv lines, conversion of distribution system from overhead to underground system, enhancement of Transformers, etc. on routine basis.
However, department is taking measures to improve the infrastructure.
