Andhra Pradesh tailor gets Rs 90,000 ‘electric shock’

A shocked Somnadh met the electricity meter reader, who was equally baffled on seeing the amount on the bill issued on September 12.
For representational purpose.
For representational purpose.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Four tube lights, one ceiling fan, a pedestal fan and an iron box, which he occasionally uses, are the electronic equipment tailor Kimudu Somnadh of Sileru has at his residence. Yet, APTRANSCO gave him the shock of his life by sending a power bill of Rs 90,444 this month.

The tailor said his previous power bills were mostly in the range of Rs 200 to Rs 300, and it has never exceeded Rs 600. “For the past three months, I was told that I need not pay the bill due to ‘minus bills’. This month, however, I got the bill for over Rs 90,000,” the tailor, struggling to make both ends meet in the time of Covid-19, said.

A shocked Somnadh met the electricity meter reader, who was equally baffled on seeing the amount on the bill issued on September 12. He asked the tailor to travel to Chintapalli – some 480 km from Sileru – to correct the bill.  

“I am not in a position to go there as the pandemic has broke me financially,” Somnadh said, adding that the bill said he had consumed 14,255 units during the billing period. Somnadh is not the only consumer to get APTRANSCO’s ‘electric shock.’Eswaramma, who runs a small eatery in Sileru, said she has been running from pillar to post correcting an electricity bill asking her to pay up Rs 1.30 lakh six months ago. 

She said they were earlier charged only Rs 1,200 a month. The officials have now asked her to submit an application for correcting the bill.APTRANSCO superintending engineer Suryapratap said as many as 15 lakh bills are being generated monthly and there has never been a problem, barring a couple of incidents.

“Even in cases where inflated bills are reported the meter readers have been directed not to issue the bill, but to issue rectified bills. The reader might have given the bill to a consumer in Sileru by mistake,’’ the official said, adding that the bill would be cancelled.

The assistant engineer will inspect the meter to rectify the mistake and issue a new bill, he said and assured that consumers need not panic if they get inflated bills, since the firm will follow proper procedure and the issue will be addressed.A puncture mechanic in Kurnool was recently issued a power bill of Rs 58,000. The officials responded and corrected the bill.

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