Chennai: Crores of rupees in refundable security deposits remain locked with the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL), with more than 1.5 lakh former consumers in at least six districts yet to receive dues even months, and in some cases years, after surrendering their electricity connections.Security deposit is an amount paid by consumers to TNPDCL on demand, along with other charges, while affecting a new service connection. The quantum of deposit varies depending upon the category the consumer falls under, such as domestic, commercial, among others. The deposit should be refunded when the service is surrendered and the respective account is closed once for all.However, in Tiruvannamalai district alone, 38,744 consumers are yet to receive their security deposits to the tune of 15.44 crore. In Cuddalore, 35,348 consumers’ deposits worth 12.13 crore rest with TNPDCL. Neelakanta Pillai, a consumer activist who has filed a complaint in this regard with the Tamil Nadu Electricity Ombudsman, said if the pending dues from TNPDCL to consumers across the state are accounted for, it will easily cross 400 crore. “It is people’s money, but TNPDCL has no mechanism in place to settle the dues,” he said. According to Pillai, the consumers could end up waiting for years to receive the security deposit as TNPDCL has not maintained year-wise records. He says the same officials have not made efforts to retrieve at least 41 crore pending as arrears from at least 43,000 services, questioning the efficiency of the department. A consumer from Krishnagiri, on condition of anonymity, said that his security deposit of 5 lakh is yet to be settled by TNPDCL even after six months of the service being surrendered. “They have asked us to submit an undertaking on a 500 stamp paper. The process is ongoing,” said the consumer. When contacted, a TNPDCL senior official, said that they would streamline the process and release funds to the consumers. “The officers concerned would be instructed to speed up the reconciliation and complete it in a time-bound manner,” he said.
