Inflated power bills raise hackles of Lucknow residents

Residents in Chinhat face billing errors, with many receiving inflated electricity bills. Authorities promise action against faulty meter readers.

Sarita Singh, a resident of Murli Pur 2, Goyla, in Chinhat, with a 2-kilowatt domestic connection (Account No. 3871670164), received a bill for 1,685 units on January 21. However, following her complaint and a re-reading of the meter, the corrected bill was just 29 units.

For representation only (HT File Photo)

Similarly, Tara, a resident of Purwa, who has a 2-kilowatt domestic connection (Account No. 3002872923), received an erroneous electricity bill. On December 9, the bill amounted to 6,624 units, but when the meter reader visited on January 25, a bill for 19,033 units was generated, which was found false.

The SDO of area Manoj Pushkar has written to the billing agency, requesting action against the responsible meter readers. Similar issues have been reported in other areas such as Nadrganj, Dubagga, BKT, and other divisions.

The highest number of complaints have come from the Chinhat, BKT, and SES divisions. According to the billing data from January 21, around 328 consumers are receiving bills in the RDF (Reading Defective Format). As many as 187 consumers continue to receive

Informed Defective (IDF) bills despite informing that their meters are functioning properly. Additionally, over 2,700 other consumers are being issued incorrect bills, further adding to the confusion and frustration.

Consumers have raised concerns, stating that despite repeated complaints, they continue to receive IDF bills. They allege that meter readers are not visiting their houses to check the meters and are instead issuing IDF bills based on estimates.

The ongoing problem highlights a significant gap in the meter-reading process and calls for immediate attention from authorities to resolve billing errors and ensure accurate readings for all consumers.

Chief engineer LESA Ravi Agarwal said, “If it is confirmed that meter readers generated fake readings, they will face strict action. The agency responsible will also be fined.”

Bhavani Singh, managing director of Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd, said that corrective measures will be taken and any sort of lethargy in billing work will not be tolerated.