In Kerala, electricity and water bill arrears pile up during COVID-19 pandemic
The Hindu
Dues owed by electricity and water consumers to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) shoot up to over ₹2,000 crore each
Arrears on electricity and water bills have built up considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic months, show data released by the Departments of Power and Water resources. Dues owed by electricity and water consumers to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) have shot up from ₹1,548.5 crore and ₹1,111.54 crore respectively in 2019-end to over ₹2,000 crore each, according to the latest available data.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.