Farmers without power pay bills in the hope of electricity
BERHAMPORE: Eight years ago, Hyder Ali thought his life would finally light up. The West Bengal government had installed an electricity meter in their house in rural Murshidabad and he thought a power connection would be on its way soon.
That day never came. But this month, after waiting for almost a decade, Ali received a bill for ₹1,520 without having used a single unit of electricity. The tragedy: Though he knew the bill was wrong, he paid the amount, hoping it would get him an electricity connection.
“We have already paid the amount — without using a single unit of power — in the hope that the condition of our house and the area will change now,” said Ali, a 45-year-old farmer.
His is among 30-odd households in the impoverished village of Majhira, 200km from Kolkata, who have got electricity bills without a power connection. Five of them say they have already paid the amount.
“An electricity meter was installed at our house about eight years ago. Some poles were installed but we never got connection. Seven days ago, the electricity office sent me a bill of ₹2,185. But no one has visited my house to connect the meter with the electric pole,” said Saira Bibi, a resident of the village.
“It’s a matter of great shame. If anything like this has happened, I shall immediately take action,” power minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay told HT on Saturday.
Locals said the bills mentioned that villagers would be fined if they delayed payments. All bills were more than ₹1,000 — an exorbitant sum for a village where most households operate just a tubelight and fan, and an average bill hovers around ₹200.
Villagers say they have complained to the local electricity office but to no avail.