Mir Aasif
Kulgam : The resident of Arigutnoo area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district today staged a protest against the PDD authorities for a sudden increase in the monthly electricity tariff.
The residents said that while other areas are paying Rs 350 to 550 per month, they are witnessing a regular increase in the tariffs even as they have now been directed to pay over Rs 1300 per month.
“The electricity is zero and on top of that, we are now asked to pay bills that are illogical and do not have any logic. We have several areas that are paying Rs 350 to 550 as their electricity bill per month; we were also paying the same, but then, for the last few months we are witnessing a steep rise in the same,” the protesting residents said.
“We used to receive monthly electricity bill of about Rs 330 to 500 but from last four months the PDD start sending inflated bills upto Rs 1300 to us while they are consuming very less electricity”, said Mohd Amin Bhat, a local resident
Mohd Akbar Bhat, another local resident said that “We are already suffering due the 2014 floods that washed away our houses completely, also snatched livelihood of majority of the people, despite poverty and limited resources, adding that I don’t know what wrong we have committed that PDD is sending inflated bills to us which is injustice for us”,
The residents said that if the same continues, then they are not going to pay the bills and rather ask the PDD authorities to wind up the entire set-up of the electricity from the area.
Meanwhile, Residents appealed to the LG administration to look into the matter and roll back the decision of hike in monthly tariffs.
When Contacted Executive Engineer, PDD Kulgam, Abdul Hamid Akhoon said that the load fixation had changed and the consumer had to pay the bill as per the new fixed load.
“Earlier the consumers were paying according to the fixed load. Now the fixed load is 1.5 KW, according to which a consumer has to pay a minimum of Rs 1560,” he said.
“We would consider for poor who can’t afford to pay bills. But those consumers with ample resources will have to pay power bills as per their usage.
