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Shocked Power Minister blows fuse
By Shelani Perera
Power and Energy Minister John Seneviratne received a rude shock when officers under his ministry arrived at his official residence at Bauddhaloka Mawatha to disconnect the power supply due to non payment of electricity bills.

The officers of the CEB’s Colombo office also got a shock when they realized it was the residence of their minister and they went back without cutting off supplies – but Mr. Seneviratne is not taking it lightly.

An angry minister made inquiries and found out there was a cross connection – the unpaid bills were the responsibility of the previous occupant, who is now in jail – once powerful former minister S. B. Dissanayake.

Mr. Seneviratne said he had asked for an immediate probe and report from the CEB general manager because he had doubts whether what happened was a genuine mistake or a deliberate move to humiliate him.

The minister said he had moved into his residence in 2004 and all his electricity bills were paid with the unpaid bills being the burden of the previous occupant.
He said that not only in the cases of ministers or VIPs but also in cases involving any citizen the CEB needed to be more careful before moving in to cut off supplies.

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