No new power connection for buildings with EHN tags

Panaji: The Goa electricity department will not issue new connections to structures with enabling house numbers (EHN). The department clarified that these numbers are granted only to unauthorised structures for the purpose of taxes by local bodies and do not have legal status.

Chief electrical engineer Stephen Fernandes stated that the basis for issuing a new connection will be a construction licence and a technical clearance certificate.He instructed all sub-divisional officers to provide new electricity connections strictly based on construction licences and technical clearance certificates and not on EHN numbers “with immediate effect”.Earlier, the department had directed the issuance of electricity connections based on EHN tax receipts.

Later, a circular by the chief secretary stated that the “electricity department shall ensure that no new electricity connection shall be released to illegal structures where permission is not obtained from the concerned authorities”.“This matter was referred to govt for an appropriate decision, based on clarifications sought by the divisional offices on whether sub-divisions can continue the release of electricity connections to EHN numbers.

It is clarified that the grant of an EHN number to an unauthorised structure does not in any way grant legal status to the house. The purpose of the EHN number is only limited to taxation by the local bodies.

Thus, no new connection is to be released for EHN numbers,” Fernandes stated, adding that the high court in March directed that for granting new electricity connections, construction licences and technical clearance certificates must be considered.Taking suo motu cognisance of illegal structures in the state, the high court in March observed that the “fragile ecosystem of Goa ought to be protected” and issued several directions to govt to control the “menace” of illegal constructions across the state. Among these were instructions to health officers under the Goa Public Health Act not to issue permissions for water and electricity connections to any structure for commercial or residential purposes unless they had construction licences and technical clearance certificates.