GUWAHATI: Due to low-key Durga Puja celebration this year, the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) has incurred a loss of around Rs 3 crore 79 lakhs.
During last year's Puja celebrations, a single division of the corporation earned a revenue of around Rs 2,40,000 from 22,682 units of extra electricity demand. This data is for 43 pujas of the state only.
"There are a total of 158 sub-divisions. So the losses this year are very high," said an APDCL official.
Guwahati alone has about 500 Durga Pujas, none of which was celebrated the usual way this year.
Usually, the different committees apply for extra units of power to APDCL for the decorative lightings prior to the celebrations. The corporation then procures the extra demanded units from the Central Corporation.
Since no such fanfare and grandeur were allowed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, not a single committee applied for the same. As such, no extra revenue was earned this year by APDCL.