PDB sources said they have fixed a target to realise Tk two crore out of Tk 25 crore arrears in the district before the end of the current financial year.

But many residential consumers talking to this correspondent alleged that their power lines were snapped without prior notice for small amounts while government and autonomous institutions with big outstanding bills are untouched. Even lines were snapped for non-payment of bills for two months, they alleged.

PDB sources said they will soon start disconnecting lines of defaulting religious institutions.

Of the Tk 25 crore, Tk 13 crore is unrealised in Barisal city covered by Barisal PDB Diviaion-1 and Tk 12 crore in upazilas covered by Barisal PDB Diviaion -2, the sources said.

In the city, Tk five cores is unrealised from residential customers and the rest from other customers.

Among the non-residential customers, Barisal City Corporation owes Tk 2.76 core, Sadar Hospital Tk 27 lakhs, Barisal Government B M College Tk 25 lakhs, Barisal Jail Tk 10 lakhs, CID of police Tk 6 lakh. An amount of Tk 47.62 lakh is due from mosques temples and churches.

Five PDB mobile teams are now in operation in the city.

When contacted, Executive Engineer Emdadul Huq however denied the allegation that lines are being snapped without prior notice. "Notice is written at the bottom of the bill given every month", he said.

Other sources said realisations of arrears electric bills from government institutions and other big consumers is difficult and time-consuming. So they have targeted the residential consumers to fulfill the target.

Power supply in Barisal and Khulna was privatised in 2002 and handed over to West Zone Power Distribution Company.