SHILLONG: An individual from East Jaintia Hills, Kynjaimon Amse, has shot off a letter to officials concerned regarding errant power supply by Meghalaya Electricity Corporation Limited (MeECL) to several villages of the district.
In a statement released here, Amse said MeECL’s power supply in many villages in the Narpuh Elaka, East Jaintia Hills District, Meghalaya which are along the NH-44 is unsatisfactory though electricity reached there a few years ago.
Stating that this is a violation of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, Amse said villages, which are being affected include, in the Narpuh Elaka Dalloiship include Thangskai, Umstain, Tongseng, Sonapyrdi, Lum Myrli, Chymplong, Kuliang, Pyrtakuna and Umkiang, among others. Amse claimed that villages stay in darkness for weeks and sometimes even months during rain or landslide and the power is disconnected from Lumshnong. But “MeECL does not solve the problem within a reasonable time and takes several days just to repair minor defects”, he said.
“This poor and unprofessional service of MeECL has caused tremendous hardships for the people, particularly students, and is also causing disturbance in domestic needs. The government should address this issue immediately, failing which I will be compelled to approach the consumer court to bring the service on track,” he added.
Amse, however, said electricity bills always come on time and if the villager does not pay even if there is no electricity, they are being asked to pay fines and arrears. He claimed that MeECL adjusts the bill from their office and therefore makes a common bill of similar amount for all customers irrespective of the energy consumed.
Amse has communicated the matter to Commissioner of EJH MS Lhuid, who has assured that he would take action.