Farmer without electricity connection paying hefty bill since last four years!

 

 

A FARMER from Baloda has been running from pillar to post since last four years for an electric connection for his pump. The Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL) is sending bills to him without any connection. The amount of the bills sent to him is Rs 17,970. The farmer was told by the power company officials that the process of giving a new connection will begin after the bills are paid. Ghanshyam Prasad Soni, son of Kartik Ram Soni, a resident of Baloda district Janjgir-Champa, dug a bore in his land and for getting an electric connection for a water pump deposited Rs 6,635 in March, 2017.

 

Since then, he is been visiting the CSPDCL office. Without giving any connection, the Company has sent him bills of Rs17,970 till date. Soni said that in these four years, he has visited the power company’s office more than 50 times. When the farmer received a bill he met the concerned clerk and the clerk told him that the electric bills have to be paid for two years. Later, the farmer complained to the Assistant Engineer, Baloda on March 14, 2020 about the bills he is getting without having any electric connection.

 

The complaint fell on deaf ears and the farmers submitted an application to the Engineer Incharge, Baloda on 6th October 2020 asking him to refund the money he had paid for getting the connection and informed him that he does not want any electric connection now. Even after the application, the department is still sending bills every month. Initially, the farmer paid a bill of Rs 1,480 but nothing happened. The bill amount as of date is Rs 17,970. The connection has not reached his field till day. Mahesh Jaiswal, Junior Engineer, CSPDCL Baloda said that he has no information about this case. After getting all information about this case appropriate action will be taken, he said.