Maharashtra's Mahabaleshwar goes dark for 24 hours over hill council’s Rs 25L dues

KOLHAPUR: Streetlights in the busy market and other places across Mahabaleshwar went dark on Tuesday and Wednesday night after the state power utility cut electricity supply to the Mahabaleshwar Hill Municipal Council for nearly 24 hours over unpaid dues of Rs 25 lakh.

The power cut also stalled pumping at Venna lake, disrupting water supply to residents of the popular tourist destination on Thursday. Electricity supply resumed only after the municipal council made a part payment of Rs 14 lakh by Wednesday evening.

Social activists, politicians from opposition parties, and residents in Mahabaleshwar blamed the municipal council's mismanagement of funds for the situation.

Residents alleged that the Mahabaleshwar municipal council, once considered the richest in the state, had become so financially weak that it could not even pay the salaries of its contractual workers on time. A contract-based employee of the Mahabaleshwar Hill Municipal Council, requesting anonymity, said, "Our payments are due from the past three months. If we warn of an agitation, then only a month's payment is made to placate us, and then again the same continues. This has been going on for the past few months. How are we to run our houses if we don't get payment for months?"

Officials of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd (MSEDCL) said the action aimed only to recover outstanding dues. Bhagyashree Dhake, the MSEDCL deputy executive engineer, said, "Repeated notices were given to the Mahabaleshwar Hill Municipal Council for the pending dues of Rs 25 lakh for the entire financial year from April 1, 2025, to March 2026. Lack of funds with the council was the reason given for the payment delay. On Tuesday, at noon, we cut the electricity supply to the council, and after they made a part payment of Rs 14 lakh, the supply was resumed from Wednesday night. There was no intention to cause inconvenience to residents or tourists."

Umesh Kale, a resident of the Mahabaleshwar market area, said, "Mahabaleshwar, being a famous hill station, witnesses year-round tourist flow and collects a large amount of funds through toll and tourist tax. If our municipal council is still not able to pay electricity dues, then it is a disgrace. If contractors are not getting paid, workers are not getting paid, MSEDCL, water supply dues are pending, roads are not proper... then where are the funds going?"

The municipal council also had dues of Rs 17.4 crore to be paid to the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran, which supplies water to the municipal council. Prajakta Karnale, the deputy engineer of Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran, said, "A total amount of Rs 17.39 crore is due from the Mahabaleshwar Hill Municipal Council, comprising both principal amount and penalties. The dues have been pending for over 15 years. In the past seven months, about eight notices have been issued, but they haven't responded to any notice. Two months ago, we even cut the water supply to the municipal council. Yet, the dues haven't been paid. Our higher administration will decide on what action to take for the collection of dues."

Speaking about the unpaid dues, Kumar Shinde, the leader of opposition in the Mahabaleshwar Hill Municipal Council, said, "The financial condition of the council is very poor. The party in charge presented a budget of Rs 170 crore when the earnings of the council are only Rs 18 crore. The reason is that expenditures were made on things that were not required, considering some personal benefits, at a time when there was an administrative rule. Prioritisation of funds didn't take place properly, and if such a situation continues, then soon it will be difficult to run the municipal council."

Meanwhile, TOI tried connecting with Yogesh Patil, the chief officer of the Mahabaleshwar Hill Municipal Council, through repeated calls and a message; however, the calls were not picked up, nor was a message replied to.