Kathmandu, Oct. 26 -- The interim government on Tuesday started cutting off electricity supply to industries as they have refused to pay billions of rupees for using dedicated and trunk lines, dues that have been pending for years.

The previous government had also disrupted electricity supplies to several industries multiple times after a prolonged tussle between the Nepal Electricity Authority and the industrialists regarding the dues. The issue at the time was settled after intervention from the then energy minister Deepak Khadka and then prime minister KP Sharma Oli. At the time, the then managing director of the NEA, Kulman Ghising, had continuously pressed to stop power supply to the companies for their refusal to pay the dues for y...