Clamour over 'excessive' power bills grows shriller

Hyderabad: The campaign against 'excessive' power bills picked up pace, as the opposition parties and general public have taken up cudgels against the government at different levels.

While Congress which recently launched 'missed call' campaign received support from more than 40,000, the MBT approached the Governor to resolve the matter.

Terming it as a 'scam,' the chairman of Hyderabad City Congress Committee (minority wing), Sameer Waliullah, not only initiated campaign 'raise your voice' through 'missed call' but also knocked on the doors of High Court with a PIL.

By Friday, the campaign crossed 40,000 missed calls. "With the help of CRM software, we launched this campaign immediately after complaints started pouring in.

Whoever gives a missed call, a message will automatically be generated from our end and received by the complainant. Since we approached the court, this database would help us adding strength to the case," he told The Hans India.

According to the Congress leader, the 3-month tariff was combined in the latest bill, which 'triggered panic' amongst the people. This could have been avoided by the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL) and if it was rationalised, people might have received bill which would be lower by 40%.

"On Monday, we shall be approaching the court again with an amendment, seeking 'rectification' as people who already facing the brunt of the COVID-19 should be spared from this kind of irresponsibility," he added.

Meanwhile MBT leader, Amjedullah Khan urged the Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan to hold meeting with officials of TSSPDCL for rectification of the 'faulty bills' on Thursday. In a letter submitted to her, he pointed out that consumers who used to get bills ranging between Rs 500 to Rs 1000 received somewhere between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000.

"Small houses of 70 sq yards to 100 sq yards with one bulb and one fan in a notified slum's had also got minimum of Rs 10,000 this time," he noted.

Meanwhile, the Twitter account of TSSPDCL remained busy answering to online complaints from customers replying, "We regret for inconvenience caused, kindly contact your area AAO/ERO, during office hours or Mail us at customerservice@tssouthernpower.com, for bill related queries."

Even on Friday, people tweeted screenshots of their bills and tagged TSSPDCL. One Kiran V said, "Getting irrelevant clarifications on bill queries. Your teams saying 2+3=5 which is correct but actual scenario is 1+2=3 and not 2+3. There is a difference. Your teams did a wrong thing correct but not right things correct. Wake up!!"

"Our complex average billing is 12k - 13k a month but this month it's double and that too after deduction of March and April months bills paid. This time we have a bill of 26k, wherein during lockdown the consumption was less. USC 101238400. PLEASE HELP." tweeted Prashant Choraria.