By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Mar. 24: The government on Monday appealed electricity consumers to pay electricity tariff online until minimise the risk of COVID-19.
The government has managed the payment system of electricity tariff through the online to minimise the crowed at the tariff payment counters of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) due to fear of COVID-19.
Consumers would not be fined and not to cut line if they unable to pay electricity tariff in time due to the lack of internet access and others, said Barshaman Pun, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation.
The meeting of board of directors of NEA under the chairmanship of board of director of NEA Pun had made this decision.
“I want request all customers to pay electricity tariff through the online as there is high risk of COVID-19 at the counters while to pay tariff. But we will not charge fine and cut line if unable to pay tariff due to lack of internet access and other causes,” said Minister Pun.
Employees of electricity in isolation
The board meeting has decided not to provide leave for the employees of NEA. The meeting has directed chief of all production, distribution offices under NEA to make arrangement for the compulsory attendance of the employees.
Minister Pun said that they made a compulsion for the employees to come office as the government keeps electricity supply as an essential category services.
Besides, employees who are working no light and load dispatch centre (LDC) will be keep in isolation for the tenure of risk of coronavirus.
“The meeting has decided to keep the employees who are working in these sections in isolation considering the possible affected of services of regular power supply as there are few employees are working in these units,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, the meeting held among the secretary, joint-secretary, divisional chief and companies chief with the Minister has decided to continue the essential services as per the direction of cabinet and high level coordination committee to prevent and control.
The meeting also decided not to stop the works of under construction projects of hydropower and irrigation as well.
The ministry has also decided to mobilise workers of the construction proejct keeping them in isolation and directed concerned bodies under the ministry to be adopted security measures while continuing the services.
Manage vehicles for the employees
The Ministry will manage separate vehicles for those employees who are using public vehicles to come office from Tuesday.
Minister Pun urged the agencies under the ministry to use offices vehicles for the employees and take vehicles in fare at minimum expenses if not sufficient vehicles having in office.
Stating that there were not allowed for leave employees working in necessary services, the employees who are working expect necessary categories can work by sitting home but they should come office in a message, he said.