A plateful of problems faced by consumers was laid before the Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission (MeSRC) at a public hearing on distribution tariff held at the office premises in Lower Lachumiere today.
Among the stakeholders were the big consumers, the Byrnihat Industries Association (BIA) seeking lower tariff. The MeECL officials gave their reasons why this was not possible.
Secretary of the Lummawbah Dorbar Shnong representing his locality and civil society in general, A Dkhar demanded the MeSRC to take cognizance of the dozens of allegations of irregularities and corruption in the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL)’s management.
The pensioners represented by E Lyngdoh, spoke on the need to get the MeECL’s house in order and even raise the tariff if necessary but ensure that the consumers get clean and regular power.
Social activist, Agnes Kharshiing asked the commission not to raise tariffs of ordinary consumers and also wanted the MeSRC to find out the whereabouts of more than 30 documents pertaining to the lands owned by the Meghalaya State Electricity Board which were inherited by the MeECL when it was corporatised in 2010.
Kharshiing and Dkhar particularly asked the MeSRC to ensure that the consumers who faithfully pay their electricity bills every month even before the due date be spared the load shedding stating that it is illegal to punish people who pay their bills by cutting off their electricity and it is even illegal to do so.
The MeECL should go ahead and cut off the lights of those people who do not pay their bills, Dkhar said. He pointed out that the capital city has a payment of 96 per cent and making them suffer load shedding at par with regions which have 80 per cent bills unpaid is not at all justified. In fact, the consumers of Shillong can even go to the consumer redressal forum with this demand, he said.
MeSRC Chairman, Peter Ingty said that the commission would go through all the presentations and come out with their views in a next few days.
The public hearing was however missing the presence of the consumers of the rural areas who have been recently saddled with electricity bills that is way beyond their usual slab.
When asked about this, Ingty said that if anyone has grievance about the bills they can also give their complaints to the Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum, which is within the MeECL office.
