Angry Mulund residents grill MSEDCL power officials on Zoom public meet

This picture has been used for representational purposes

Over 500 angry residents in Mulund east opened a barrage of questions and grilled Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) officials for nearly two hours over their inflated power bills on a public Zoom Meeting organised by local Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Mihir Kotecha.

"The MSEDCL officers had no answers. They kept going round and round, and to every question, they said the meter needs to be checked and there could be some technical fault. They were unable to answer questions. The superintending engineer was quiet most of the time and his colleagues were answering queries. The entire MSEDCL seems to be faulty," Viral Shah a resident who attended the meeting said.'

"My meter readings have jumped from 400 to 1,400 for no reason. I asked them to explain the hike, they asked me to email details and we do not know when will they reply," another resident said.

A screenshot of the zoom meeting where the residents questioned an MSEDCL officer on the inflated power bills. Picture/Rajendra B Aklekar.

"A visit to the MSEDCL office and they bully saying that first pay the bill and the come with complaints. These are difficult lockdown times and many people have not got salaries. Schools are asking for fees and this huge bill is adding to woes," Gautam, another resident said.

"There seems to be a hike in the bill rates from April 2020 amid lockdown. How can they think of implementing such a hike in the month of April in the middle of the lockdown? It is a case of fractured governance," yet another resident Kumar Sagar said. Many thanked Kotecha for getting this issue on a public platform like Zoom and making officials accountable.

MLA Mihir Kotecha, who organised the Zoom Meeting, said he was also not satisfied with the answers given by officials and appealed to residents to approach him with complaints. "We want a written explanation from the MSEDCL teams on every complaint. I will ensure that no one's power is disconnected in this period and will take up the issue with the ministry too," he said.

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