Himal Press 
SURKHET: The streets of Birendranagar, the capital of Karnali Province in Surkhet, are becoming dark. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has begun cutting power supplies to street lamps, citing the failure of Birendranagar Municipality to pay outstanding dues.
The Surkhet Distribution Center of NEA started cutting power supplies last week. The utility has deployed its staff in various wards to disconnect the street lights.
NEA staffers have already removed fuse boxes from electricity poles on the main streets of wards 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8.
As the streets plunge into darkness, locals fear an increase in crimes like theft and robbery in Birendranagar. Sirjan Giri, a local resident of Birendranagar-1, said it has become difficult to commute in the evenings after the electricity lines were cut. “Sometimes I get delayed returning from office work, and with no street lights on the way, I have to reach home in fear,” he said.
Dinesh Khatri, ward chair of Birendranagar-1, said the fuse boxes installed on the streetlight poles have been removed. “The NEA has started removing fuse boxes from all the streets. It is also removing them in our ward,” he added.
Gaj Bahadur Budha, ward chair of Birendranagar-2, said the streets in all wards have been getting dark for a few days. “Except for some places, street lights have been cut off in all wards,” he said. “Local residents are facing problems.”
According to Sher Bahadur KC, ward chair of Birendranagar-4, the NEA staff came and removed the fuse boxes installed on the streetlight poles. “Four or five staff came and started removing the fuse boxes from the poles,” he said. KC said the municipality has been informed about NEA cutting power supplies to street lamps.
Tika Ram Sharma, ward chair of Birendranagar-8, criticized the NEA’s act of directly cutting the lines instead of resolving the issue at the office level. “Crimes could increase after the streets get dark. The issue must be resolved immediately at the office level,” he added.
The NEA, however, said it had to cut power supplies to street lamps as the municipality turned a deaf ear to their repeated reminders to clear electricity bills. Ashok Lohani, chief of the NEA office in Surkhet, said the lines had to be cut as the municipality defied requests to clear the arrears for street lights since 2017. “The municipality owes NEA more than Rs. 53 million,” he added.
Lohani said NEA swung into action after the municipality repeatedly disregarded their request letters.
NEA has also cut power supplies to over 1,700 household consumers who have failed to pay their electricity bills. “These consumers owe over Rs. 50 million to the NEA,” he added.
Meanwhile, Birendranagar Municipality plans to make a decision regarding the payment of street light dues in the upcoming municipal assembly meeting. Deputy Mayor Nilkantha Khanal said the municipal assembly will decide about clearing pending dues to NEA.
He also accused the NEA of not paying rent for electricity poles installed within the municipality areas.
