Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 26: BJP leader and incharge Jammu, Poonch Parliamentary seat Yudhvir Sethi has criticized the PDD authorities for harassing the consumers and traders while collecting the electricity tariff.
Talking to reporters here, today along with the members of trading fraternity and prominent citizens he said the method of collecting the power tariff bills by the PDD authorities was totally wrong as they were threatening people of snapping power connections.
He said there is a lot of resentment among people in the city and its outskirts were the PDD authorities are harassing them by threatening to snap power connections. The consumers feel helpless before the dictatorial attitude of the authorities.
Sethi said that in some parts of the city and outskirts where the electronic meters were not given connections by the Department the bills for the month of February were not based on meter reading but on flat rate and the amount was ranging from two to five thousands in various cases for domestic consumption.
He, while questioning the same wanted to know on what basis the Department charged the flat rate when by now they were deducting the payment on the basis of non electronic meters functioning in the se localities.
He said when people resisted they were over night asked to seek connections of meters by bringing their own wire when as per the rule the wire and meters are to be supplied by the Department. Sethi demanded a thorough probe into the matter.
He said the Government had promised to waive off the interests and levis in the State Assembly but the commitment was not kept till date. He demanded that such a mechanism be evolved through which consumers rich or poor can pay their power tariff bills through easy installments.
He said consumers are ready to pay pending bills but were not in a position to pay 30 to 40 thousand at a one go. The same can be paid in installments, he added.
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