Pune: Kothrud residents gathered at the electricity bill payment centre of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited at Rambaug Colony on Wednesday. Amit Bartakke, the Executive Engineer of MSEDCL, appealed to citizens to maintain calm and order while police protection was sought by the officers.
Bartakke said, "About fifty people will be called every day to address their grievance regarding the monthly power bills. If hundreds of people make a fuss at the grievance redressal window at the same time, it will become difficult for the MSEDCL employees to resolve the doubts. Citizens should cooperate with us."
Surekha Khandagale, who lives in Kishkindhanagar said, "We have a single fan, tube light and television set and we used to get about three hundred rupees bill every month. Last month I paid the bill of Rs 1270 but now I have again received a bill of Rs 3360. "
MSEDCL consumer Dinesh Mathwad said, "I used to get a bill of two and a half thousand per month. This month I have received a bill amounting to twenty thousand rupees. We demand that the MSEDCL should not impose fines and delay charges on customers. People are already stressed. MSEDCL should get accurate meter readings again and rectify the erroneous power bills."
Another consumer Laxman Sathe said, "We are not asking to waive off our bill. We are getting five times more amount of bill as compared to pre-COVID billing. Most consumers are genuinely concerned about how the bill amount can multiply five times when the house was locked during the entire lockdown."
Other citizens Ganesh Bhelke, Neera Gorkhe, Suvarna Santosh Pawar, Alka Toshniwal, Asha Kadu also presented their grievances in front of the officers.
Amit Bartakke, the Executive Engineer of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited, said, "Electricity meter connection of not one consumer will be disconnected until we have cleared all the doubts regarding monthly power bills. We have only three employees, and hence there are limitations in resolving the number of queries every day. Consumers should give their complaint in writing after which they will be given a token number and will be asked to come to the office on prior appointment."
