Noida: Power discom disconnects supply at Bhangel CHC canteen

A day after HT reported about alleged irregularities at a canteen operating in community health centre (CHC) in Noida’s Bhangel locality, power discom Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PVVNL), Noida, late Sunday launched a crackdown at the facility and disconnected the electricity supply to the facility, said officials in the know of the matter.

According to discom officials, they were receiving complaints that ‘Prerna canteen’ at the CHC was using electricity without having a metered connection. Inspections revealed that this was true.

The canteen operator also failed to produce any electricity bills, said PVVNL Noida officials on Monday.

Sushil Kumar, subdivisional officer (SDO), division 2, said, “We were getting complaints from the CHC that the canteen operator was using the electricity illegally.

“As per the guidelines, the canteen should have its individual power connection under the commercial category. However, the operators did not even have an electricity meter,” he said.

Officials said the canteen operator was pilfering electricity from the line to community health centre.

“The operator was using the power supply being given to the CHC by concealing the connecting power cables. The connection has now been disconnected,” Kumar added.

According to the health department officials, they will be filing a complaint with PVVNL Noida, for further action.

“We will be compiling information regarding the electrical equipment that were being used at the canteen for so long without a legitimate connection, to ascertain per day usage and to generate a tentative estimate and the per month bill. The estimate will be provided to PVVNL Noida for recovery,” said Dr Yatendra Singh, medical superintendent, Bhangel CHC.

Meanwhile, the canteen operator questioned the sudden action on the power usage.

“I had been told by the administrative officials that power supply will be provided through the CHC only. If there was an issue, why were these people silent for a year?” said Poonam Chauhan, contractor of the ‘Prerna Canteen’, Bhangel CHC.

To be sure, the CHC functions alongside a 30-bed maternity and child hospital, on the same premises.

The canteen caters to staff and patients and bystanders from both facilities, said officials. Several allegations have been levelled against the canteen operator by patients and management, including those of substandard food, not providing meals as prescribed for patients and sometimes not giving any meal to patients.

Patients being administered treatment under the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) scheme at the facility had alleged that they were forced to purchase food from outside. The operator, however, denied the allegations.