Opposition Congress today staged a walkout from Madhya Pradesh Assembly alleging that the government-run power companies have been harassing the consumers by issuing inflated bills.
Congress also alleged that bills worth lakhs were being sent to consumers even in areas where power is not being supplied due to non-functional transformers and damaged transmission lines.
Congress MLAs staged the walkout during the Question Hour after Sukhendra Singh, MLA from Mauganj in Rewa district, alleged that over 80,000 meters in his constituency were non-functional but the power companies have been realising inflated bills from such consumers.
In his reply, Energy Minister Paras Chandra Jain said average power bills are being issued to such consumers only in accordance to the rates fixed by the MP Electricity Regulatory Board.
Not satisfied by the reply, the members from opposition benches stood up and alleged that the power companies have been harassing consumers across the state on pretext of examining the meters, power loss and any other reason.
Senior Congress MLA Govind Singh alleged that the power companies are realising the bills even from the areas where the transformers were non-functional.
"Power companies have been issuing the power bills worth lakhs to consumers in the areas where electricity is not being supplied due to non-functional transformers or damaged transmission lines. Those who refused to pay are being sent to jail," he alleged.
In-charge leader of opposition Bala Bachchan demanded the Madhya Pradesh government to conduct examination of erring power meters in the entire state so that "this harassment could be stopped".
While defending the power companies, Minister for Panchayat Gopal Bhargava intervened and alleged that power situation was worse during the Congress rule in the state.
However, Congress MLAs started raising slogans and later staged a walk out.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)