Around 40% power consumers yet to pay June bills

Nagpur: Irate power consumers are gradually paying astronomical June power bills but MSEDCL has a long way to go before the figure reaches 100%. Till June 30, only 32% consumers in Nagpur zone (Nagpur and Wardha districts) had paid their June dues. By July 15, this figure has reached around 60%. That 40% consumers are yet to pay their bills is an alarming fact for MSEDCL.
A MSEDCL spokesperson, however, expressed satisfaction over the progress. “People are gradually realizing that we have not have not overbilled them. Moreover, we are giving them three instalments. So people are paying up. By the month end, we expect most of them to clear their bills,” he said.
MSEDCL had not taken readings after mid-March up to early June. The discom issued average bills for two to three months based on winter consumption. As a result, a large number of units got accumulated in the June bill and it was more than twice of the normal one. In addition, Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) increased the tariff for lower end consumers. All this led to consumers getting mammoth bills.
Data provided by MSEDCL shows that despite the lockdown, more people paid bills at collection centres than online. In Nagpur city, between July 1 and 15, 1.56 lakh consumers paid their dues offline and 1.06 lakh paid it online. In Wardha district, 42,530 their paid bills offline against 20,697 online. In rural areas of Nagpur district, the corresponding figures are very skewed. While 69,884 consumers paid their bills at collection centres, only 1,329 did it through the MSEDCL website or mobile application.
Meanwhile, opposition parties like the BJP, AAP, Janata Dal, etc continue to protest against the astronomical bills. They are demanding free units ranging from 100 to 200 units per month during lockdown period, cancellation of the power tariff hike implemented by MERC, abolition of fuel surcharge, etc.
Energy minister Nitin Raut has promised to provide free power to domestic consumers if the central government provides MSEDCL Rs10,000 crore aid. He had put up this demand before the union power minister but did not get any assurance. The state government is cash-strapped and in no position to waive power bills.