SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) has admitted to flaws including inaccuracy, irregularity and inadequacy inherent in the billing process.
In a statement issued here, the Public Relations Officer, MeECL, referred to reports in the media with regard to purported excessive billing from across the Khasi Hills region leading to consumers paying huge amounts against bills covering several months.
The PRO said that steps have, therefore, been taken by the management to rectify the flaws in the interest of both the public and the establishment.
“The intervention has brought into focus critical issues that need to be addressed in the billing process including the compilation of correct data which will reduce the burden hitherto imposed on our consumers in the form of huge outstanding bills”, the PRO said.
However, he maintained that the veracity of allegations of excessive increase in electricity bills needs to be looked into as there are many factors that may contribute to the increase as well as reduction in electricity bills.
Such allegations, when brought to the knowledge of the management, are verified and corrected, and many of the cases have been resolved to the satisfaction of the consumers.
The PRO stated that efforts are continuously being made to ascertain the cause of lapses in the billing procedure, which is an ongoing process.
Despite the alleged excessive increase in the electricity bills, no consumer has been subjected to disconnection of power supply by the MePDCL till date for non-payment of the bills served on them, the statement said.
“The consumers are also requested to kindly inform the offices of the MePDCL in case of non-receipt of bills for any month(s) of the year. Also, complaints of actual disconnection of power supply to any consumer for non-payment of electricity bills, alleged to be excessive, may be brought to the notice of the management for resolution of the matter,” the statement added.
MLA grateful
Meanwhile, Mawlai MLA PT Sawkmie has thanked the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the MeECL, A Nikhla, who took up the matter.
Following the allegations of hike in electricity bills, Sawkmie, on Tuesday, along with officials of MeECL visited Mawlai Kynton Massar and Nongkohlew to resolve the issue.
Recently, bills of some residents reportedly went up to Rs 20,000 -50,000 which usually would be around Rs 500 per month.
