FIR filed against MeECL for cheating consumers

SHILLONG, NOV 7: A local youth organization has filed an FIR against the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) for allegedly harassing the consumers by issuing electricity bills based on “imagination”.

The Seng Samla of Mawkneng village under Sohiong constituency in East Khasi Hills District had submitted the FIR to the office of the SP Crime Branch for investigation into the matter on November 6.

The complaint against the office of the Executive Engineer Revenue Sub-Division-1 Lumjingshai, Shillong and Sohiong Revenue Section MePDCL besides all those involved in harassing the consumers from the different villages under Sohiong.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, President of the Seng Samla Curtis Rani said that the decision was taken after the MeECL authority failed to take necessary step to resolve the problems faced by the consumers.

“Even the home minister HDR Lyngdoh, who is the local MLA, and also the local MDC Samlin Malngiang had earlier last month raised the issue before the MeECL chief engineer for his intervention but nothing was done till date,” he said.

Asked, Rani alleged that the electricity bills to the consumers were issued without any meter reading.

“This is a case of fraud by the MeECL,” he said while quoting an RTI report where the MeECL Lumjingshai had claimed that the electricity bills issued by the office is based on the meter reading.

Stating there is huge discrepancy in the billing process done by the office; Rani also accused the Sohiong Revenue Section of preparing the electricity bills based on “imagination” which tantamount to cheating the consumers.

“As per complaints, the officials of the Sohiong Revenue Section had never visited the residences of the consumers for issuing of the electricity bills. Due to this, there is a lot of mismatch between the billing and meter reading,” he said.

He also alleged that there are also instances where consumers were made to pay outstanding electricity bills despite of them clearing the same regularly every month.

“The erratic functioning of the MeECL has to a great extent affected the consumers especially in the rural areas,” Rani said.

He also argued that what is the point of appointing meter readers when the MeECL is imposing the bill without taking the meter reading, which is as per electricity consumed by the consumers.

Meanwhile, the president of the youth organization informed that the police have assured to take necessary action on the matter.

“If the police are taking serious action against frauds who are duping facebook users, we have every reason to believe that they would also give equal importance to this and register it as a criminal case,” Rani added.

By Our Reporter

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