MARGAO: Fatorda residents raised complaints about how they are being asked by junior-level officials of the Electricity Department to pay for a service that is the job of the Electricity Department.
This was brought to the attention of Power Minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar and Superintending Engineer Rajiv Samant during a public meeting held in Margao where consumers narrated different examples of their experience when they had approached the Electricity Department.
In one case, it was pointed out that when asked for a connection to the underground cabling system, a huge sum of nearly Rs 60,000 was asked to be paid by the consumer. Both Dhavalikar and Samant clarified that this cost is to be borne by the Power Department.
Other complaints were about how the Power department officials asked the consumer to arrange for labour and tools to complete a repair-related task that the consumer thought the Power department staff would have done.
There was also an example given how when the Junior Engineer was called to a locality to sort out a power supply related issue to the affected residents, here too the residents were told that the residents have to pay for the said works.
At this juncture, Dhavalikar asked for the names of the concerned staff.
The Minister said any such complaints will be addressed as the consumer should not be charged for such works.
Samant clarified that in some situations such as shifting a meter box etc, a nominal cost is levied on the consumer as per prevailing regulation.
