MARGAO: Protesting over the recent Electricity Department’s initiative to inspect load increase, which led to issuing of disconnection notices, residents from Salcete queued up at the department’s office at Aquem and lamented that they were informed through notices that the government officials would prepare a compliance report within 15 days.
The residents charged that the department was not offering any assistance and claimed that power consumers are forced to rely on agents who are allegedly charging Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 for providing the service.
Roque Fernandes, a Benaulim resident, claimed that consumers are unfairly targeted for load increases and they do not have any illegal connection. The ones connected to meters, who have been paying their bills regularly, were shocked to receive the disconnection notices.
He lamented that the bills they have been receiving have increased much higher compared to the amount they used to receive in the past.
Echoing similar sentiments, the other locals said they have been receiving bills between Rs 5,000 and 10,000 and even higher. Earlier, they would receive bills which were much more reasonable and far lower.
They demanded that Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar or the department’s senior officials intervene immediately, by coming out with a solution and revoking the disconnection notices.
Fernandes urged the department to set up a customer-help desk in the department to aid with the file preparation to challenge these notices, as agents are taking full advantage of consumers.
Electricity Department Superintending Engineer Rajiv Samant appealed to consumers not to panic and asked them to seek assistance from the department for file preparation.
He explained that the Regulatory Commission has imposed fixed charges based on load, and the current drive aims to verify load increases.
Samant said that consumers can request a one-month extension in writing if they need extra time for compliance. He assured that the department officials are available to help consumers in resolving issues and upload necessary documents.
The official said that he would speak to his higher-ups on how to ensure that the consumers are not inconvenienced when they approach the department for resolving such matters.
