MAWKYRWAT, July 23: The office of the MeECL in Mawkyrwat has been given a deadline of Monday to come clean about the reason for the unlooked-for hike in electricity bills.
Various NGOs, village heads and consumers from South West Khasi Hills, under the umbrella of Mawkyrwat Electricity Consumer Forum (MECF), on Friday visited the office of the MeECL at Mawkyrwat to meet the SDO and other officials, and conferred about the increase in the electricity bills. But surprisingly no officers attended the office despite being informed beforehand, the MECF said.
Irked by the absence of the officials and calling it an ‘insult’, chairman of the MECF, Wallambok Syiemiong, said they wanted to meet the officials and ask the reason as to why electricity bills have seen such a steep hike.
Syiemiong, while speaking to the media persons, alleged that albeit people had earlier visited the office of the MeECL for clarification on the matter, they never given a rational explanation.
“The only clear answer people got from this office was ‘confusion’ and an excuse — We don’t know anything, all these things are done from Shillong. If all the works here were being done from Shillong, what is the use of putting this office here in Mawkyrwat,” he said.
“All we wanted was to get a clear answer from this office on the increase of electricity bills. Our people now are confused — who is managing this office, is it the MePDCL or other companies?,” Syiemiong said.
Meanwhile, president of the KSU, South West Khasi Hills, Forwardman Nongrem, has condemned the incident and termed it an ‘insult’ to the people of South West Khasi Hills.
“Therefore, we have put a deadline of July 26, 2021, for this office toclarify on who owns or manages electricity in South West Khasi Hills and what is the reason behind the sudden increase of electricity bills? If they cannot give a clear and satisfying reply, we will meet again and stern action will be taken,” Nongrem said.
