JOWAI: Officials of the MeECL Revenue department in Jowai failed to explain the reason behind the sudden and abnormal hike in electricity bills during an awareness programme organised jointly by the MeECL and Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) at the District Library Auditorium on Tuesday.
The awareness programme was attended by headmen of various villages besides the general public. MeECL officials including Additional Chief Engineer EB Kharmujai and Executive Engineer (Revenue Department) J. Sumer, besides others, also attended the programme.
Consumers complained over the sudden rise of electricity bills stating that a majority of them were served with electricity bills more than five times the previous bills.
“Last month I was billed only for around Rs.600 but this month I was really shocked when I saw my electricity bill suddenly increasing to Rs.7000,” said a Grade IV government servant.
“I have constructed a house with a bank loan and if I have to pay such high electricity bills how will I survive?” he questioned.
Several other consumers also raised the same question but the MeECL officials failed to give any satisfactory explanation. They merely asked all consumers who have received high power bills to approach the MeECL office for re-test of their meters.
“We are human and we always make error; if you feel that your electricity bills are abnormal we are always there to help you,” the MeECL officials said.
Earlier, Kharmujai and Sumer briefed the gathering on the spot billing system and mentioned that the introduction of the spot billing system would help the people to pay their bill on the spot.
Sumer also advised the people to use CFL bulb to reduce their electricity bills.