Woman sarpanch alleges that AE harassed her over non-payment of Electricity dues

Akiveedu: A woman sarpanch and her husband along with villagers of Ajjamuru village in Akiveedu mandal staged a protest at APEPDCL Assistant Divisional Engineer’s office in Akiveedu on Thursday, alleging that the AE Rajagopal Chowdary abused her over the arrears of electricity charges of her house.

According to Sarpanch Bacca Sarala Kumar, the APEPDCL Assitant Divisional Engineer Rajagopal Chowdary has threatened her that he will disconnect her electricity service connection and abused her. She said that she has electricity service connection SC No.313 for her house in Ajjamuru village and the APEPDC ADE Rajagopal Chowdary warned that if she did not pay the Rs.21,403 pending bill, the power supply would be disconnected. He also warned that he would put a case of power theft and abused her and her husband BaccuKrishna over the phone. She said there were differences in the power bills since 2015 and she requested the APEPDCL officials to rectify those mistakes and change the service meter. “My husband several times and I visited the electricity office to pay the bill from the application date. However, no one answered on the issue.

Now the ADE warning my husband and me about the power supply stoppage”, she stated.  She questioned the ADE that why the department did not take action against her all these years. The electricity officials not even answered her questions and application. She alleged that the ADE had threatened us even I am a ruling party Sarpanch. The Akiveedu agriculture marketing Committee chairman Motupalli Prasad, Akiveedu Sarpanch Gotla Ganapati, MPTC member Bolla Venkatrao, Ajjamuru village Upa Sarpanch Bondada Venkatesulu reached the ADE office here and inquired about the incident. After that, they said they would complain the matter to MLA VV Sivarama Raju and informed over the phone about the situation. The MLA said he would look into the matter as he was out of the station.

Meanwhile, the ADE Rajagopal Chowdary reached the spot. After discussions, he apologized for the Sarpanch and her husband. When the reporters asked about the incident, the ADE did not respond and accused the media.