Blink News Network
Bhubaneswar, Mar 22: The Central Electricity Supply Utility (CESU) has closed down its physical collection centres across the state which was earlier meant to collect payments of electricity dues from its consumers from their counters. The decision was taken keeping in mind Coronavirus threat.
It said, “All the collection counters of CESU in Bhubaneswar, Khurda, Cuttack, Kendrapara Angul and municipal jurisdiction of Puri will remain closed till 29.03.2020. This has been decided to prevent spread of COVID-19 by maintaining social distancing. Consumers are requested to stay at home and use the on-line facility to make payment of their electricity dues,”
It also added, “Odisha government has issued an instruction to adopt strict social distancing and isolation measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 and notified a lockdown in the districts of Khurda, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Angul and the municipal jurisdiction of Puri in the licensee areas of CESU from 7 am of 22nd March’2020 to 9 pm on 29th March’2020 vide Order dated 21.03.2020,”
CESU said that electricity, being an essential service, has been exempted from the locked down restrictions as per said order of Government of Odisha. “To ensure safety of our consumers and employees from the spread of COVID19, CESU has decided to close all its Collection Counters in districts of Khurda, Cuttack, Kendrapara Angul and Puri Municipality areas will remain closed from 23rd March’2020 to 29th March 2020,” it said.
Nevertheless, CESU will keep its offices open in those districts and municipality areas for the smooth operation of all the Sub-stations and distribution network, so that it can provide uninterrupted supply of electricity to all its consumers. The respective Superintending Engineers and Executive Engineers have been asked to call minimum number of employees required to carry out these operations.
