Team Herald
PANJIM: Amidst growing hue and cry over exorbitant power bills, the State Electricity Department said due to two-month long complete lockdown enforced in view of COVID outbreak, coupled with summer season, the power consumption witnessed an increase and also the bills could not be issued on monthly basis.
The department also clarified that there has been no change in consumer slabs or rise in power tariff. The department maintained that the bills have been issued as per the consumption of energy recorded by the energy meter.
Speaking to Herald, Chief Electrical Engineer (CEE) Nitin Keni maintained that bills are issued on a pro-rata basis by dividing the consumption spread over the entire period for which bills were issued.
“Since the period for which the last bills have been issued coincided with the lockdown period and people were mostly indoors, and hence the consumption has increased. Also, those were summer months,” he said adding that bills are issued to consumers for a period of 60 days in some cases, while 70 in others.
He said due to lockdown, the bills could not be issued on monthly basis. “Bills are issued as per the actual calculation of a period of consumption recorded by energy meter, which is automatic,” Keni said.
The CEE clarified that there is no change in consumer slab or hike in power tariff. He also said that the billing system, which is now online through software, has not been outsourced to any private party.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in a memorandum submitted to CEE has demanded waiver or reduction of charges especially for the slab rate of 400 and above units.
Due to lockdown, the consumption may have been higher in the months of April/May. But this was due to genuine reasons and out of compulsion, and not due to any additional voluntary consumption or wastage. The department must consider a waiver or reduction of charges especially for the slab rate of 400 and above units,” AAP spokesperson Valmiki Naik said.
On an immediate basis, Naik has demanded that department should allow deferment of payment without any penalties for arrears.
“Due to the critical economic situation, people are facing numerous issues with respect to income and ability to meet monthly expenses. In such a situation, the department needs to play its role to allow late payments, as has been done by banks, financial institutions etc,” he said.
