'EESL may take legal action to recover street light dues'

State-run Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) is exploring various options, including legal action, to recover dues from urban local bodies (ULBs) across states under the Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP).

- Rituraj Baruah

EESL is in talks with states and municipalities and looking at all possible amicable steps to recover the dues, chief executive Vishal Kapoor said in an interview. Besides, the company has sent notices to ULBs urging them to settle the dues. In case they fail, EESL will stop setting up street lights, Kapoor said, adding that a few ULBs have started paying their dues. EESL’s FY23 financial results showed that its trade receivables, primarily comprising dues from government bodies, stood at ₹4,152.47 crore as of 31 March. Kapoor said the company is planning a business overhaul. Edited excerpts:

What is the current status of dues, and what actions are you contemplating?

On the recovery front, I think we are extremely happy that we’re getting so much of support from the government...both the ministry of power, and the ministry of housing and urban affairs. They are working on making some kind of a mechanism, by which states do a central payment to EESL on behalf of ULBs. A lot of it is already happening in some states. Also, looking at what could be the big incentives and disincentives given to states by which the money starts coming back. That is about government action.