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Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (Gescom) has shocked the residents of various villages of Jewargi taluk in Kalaburagi district by issuing electricity bills of above ₹1 lakh for many consumers for October.
The Communist Party of India (CPI), the Adarsh Gram Samiti of Yalwar, and the Jewargi–Yadrami Taluk Abhivriddhi Horata Samiti, addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi city on Wednesday, condemned the State government for allegedly burdening villagers in Kalaburagi district with exorbitant electricity bills, despite its promise of 200 units of free electricity.
CPI district secretary Mahesh Kumar Rathod providing the bills of consumers from several villages, including Chigaratahalli, Yalawar, Kodachi, Lakanapur, Khyadapur, and Chigaralli, said that the residents who earlier received “zero bills,” are now being forced to pay thousands and even lakhs due to faulty meter readings.
Dr. Rathod criticised Gescom officials for forcing consumers to pay huge bills without addressing technical errors. He said that villagers were being threatened with power disconnection if they failed to pay.
The villagers received “zero bill” for August and September, while they got a bill of upto ₹30,000 for October and some even more. A consumer received a bill of ₹1,10,944 for October, while his September bill was just ₹1,381; another resident got a bill of ₹1,09,742 for October and his September one was “zero”, Dr. Rathod added.
“Farmers and daily wage labourers, already reeling under drought, are being pushed into deeper distress by these inflated bills. The government must waive the wrongly charged amounts and immediately restore the promise of free power under Gruha Jyothi scheme,” Horata Samiti convener Raja Patel said.
Urging Gescom officials to resolve the issue within four days, the activists have threatened to stage a protest outside the Gescom office in Jewargi taluk on November 10, if they fail to address the issue.
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