Mumbai: Cops promise to pay Mankhurd residents for power theft

midday impact gtgt Day after this papers report power restored to projectaffected residents as police promise to pay up for stolen electricityThe residents of Hiranandani Akruti building will never again have to pay the price for the Mankhurd polices crime of stealing electricity Hours after middays report on their plight the residents power connection was restored and the police finally agreed to pay the Rs 25lakh electric bill they had racked up while using the buildings common electric meter Yesterday for the first time in 14 months the residents were able to use the building lift and enjoy running water in their homesA worker reinstalls a meter in the building PicsRajesh GuptaTaking note of this papers report on the issue the authorities jumped into action to restore the buildings electricity connection A highlevel meeting was arranged between the MMRDA which had developed the building and Mumbai Police who agreed to pay the outstanding bill of Rs 25 lakh bill period from July 2015 to August 2016 After getting an assurance of payment from residents and officials within hours Reliance Energy sent a team to restore power supply to the buildingResidents of Hiranandani Akruti finally have light in their hallways after more than a year of suffering without electricity in the buildings common areasThe problemThe 200odd inhabitants moved to this Mankhurd building in April 2016 after they were displaced from their homes in the KurlaWadala stretch middays frontpage report on Friday had highlighted how just five months later the society was shocked to be slapped with a power bill of R25 lakh They soon figured out that the electricity had been consumed by the Mankhurd police station which was located on the first three floors of the building Even after this was discovered and despite the MMRDA asking them to pay the dues the cops refused to take responsibilityThe solutionHowever senior police officers took cognisance of the new report and sought an explanation from the Mankhurd police The cops said that although the police station has its own meter some of the rooms and passages get power from the buildings connectionThe police then contacted Reliance Energy requesting them to fix the problem Officers also assured that they will resolve the matter by holding a joint meeting with residents and MMRDA officials in the coming weekResidents relievedWe had been struggling for electricity for the last 14 months and just hours after middays report our power was restored said Santosh Thite secretary of Shree Ganesh Housing Society which manages the buildings affairsHe added We had written to MMRDA to resolve the matter but there was no success Advocate Vijay Raorane intervened on our behalf and told the authorities that we would go on a dharna But it was after the news report that our voice was heardThe lawyer representing the society in the matter Advocate Vijay Raorane said In October my friend invited me here for Diwali pooja I was surprised when my friend said that we would have to climb up seven floors as there was no power supply to the lift I decided to pursue the matter with the MMRDA and the Mankhurd Police but we did not get a proper response from them The residents and I are thankful to midday for resolving the problem