Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has cut the electricity supply to 21,000 clients for their failure to pay the tariff.

The NEA has run a campaign across the country to collect tariff dues, and over 500 million rupees have been recovered by cutting the power supply to unruly clients.

NEA's executive director Kulman Ghising said arrears collection will be intensified after the Tihar festival.

According to Electricity tariff collection regulations 2078 BS, if a client does not pay the tariff within 15 days of the meter reading, the fine starts from the 16th day. There will be a 5 percent fine between 16-30 days of meter reading, a 10% fine from 31-40 days, and a 25% fine from 41st days of meter reading.

If a client does not pay the tariff even within 60 days from the day a 25% fine starts, the regulation provisions for cutting off the power supply.