Paying bill

Paying bill for any service or product is the duty of citizens and institutions in a country. All those who buy or use services or products are fulfilling such duty in a normal way. Not to do so is going against the law. This simple activity, although being performed day in and day out in Nepal by ordinary persons, households, or industries without any hassle, has been a cause of dispute for some manufacturers and Nepal Electricity Authority. The issue has been taken up by the Parliamentary Account Committee as well. The story behind the non-willingness of bill-payment by some 61 manufacturing companies relates to the special provision made in 2015 for supplying electricity to industries through dedicated feeder and trunk lines during the time of 2015-load shedding. It was considered appropriate to do so at the time. As time went by load-shedding gave way to constant and regular supply of power. NEA has currently taken action – cutting power supply to non-payers – for recovering its revenue. The point has now been so politicized that political parties have begun to take interest in it. The dispute should actually be settled as per law between the supplier- NEA- and users – 61 manufacturers. They could hold series of negotiations and work out a practical modality of paying the past bill. They could work out a convenient mode of payment; NEA should also be open for such negotiations. It should seek some comfortable way of making the users pay the bill. Cutting the lines and causing harm to their productive work would not be wise. The manufacturers who enjoyed uninterrupted power supply during electricity load shedding crisis in the country should also be mindful of their duty to pay the bill. If both the supplier and the users enter into serious economic business conversation they would be able to find out a solution. If they seek solutions to their dispute from outside, the issue will be further problematical and interested parties would make it a point for opposing the government of the day. This would neither be welcome for the government of the day nor for the stakeholders concerned. NEA leadership today has earned the fame of tackling the load-shedding meticulously and conveniently; the same should not lose its honour by acting harshly against the manufacturers. The industries which benefitted from the power supply during load-shedding through a special provision should also consider about their moral responsibility of paying the bill. Evading the payment for one excuse or the other would not be a great strategy if they want to remain in the business and industrial sector. Both sides would benefit immensely if they seriously consider payment of bill as something that should in no circumstances tolerated. Let common practical sense guide the NEA and manufacturers in the issue! Let it be settled in a business friendly manner!