MSEDCL action illegal: Rane

Nagpur, Sep 12 (UNI) Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane has termed ''illegal'' the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL)'s action in disconnecting power supply to the offices of his department.

While the Revenue Department owed MSEDCL Rs 7.88 lakh, MSEDCL itself owed the department Rs 33.88 lakh, Mr Rane claimed while speaking to reporters here today. It was usual for the various segments of the government not to initiate recovery action against each other but to make book adjustments of the arrears instead, Mr Rane said, while pointing out that MSEDCL was a government company.

Referring to the Chimur and Daryapur assembly by-elections, Mr Rane alleged that the Shiv Sena was trying to evade its responsibility by planning to field widows of farmers who had committed suicide in Vidarbha. By-polls have been necessitated since Vijay Wadettiwar from Chimur and Prakash Bharsakle from Daryapur, both supporters of Mr Rane, quit the Shiv Sena and the House.

Asserting that relief packages for Vidarbha's farmers, as announced by the State Government and the Prime Minister, were being implemented properly, Mr Rane ruled out complete loan waiver for farmers. The fact that farmers' suicides continued unabated despite the packages, implied that there were reasons, other than indebtedness, that were driving the farmers to commit suicide, he said.

UNI XR MAZ YA DB2312