State power distribution Co. mulls to start monthly bills

KOLKATA: West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (WBSEDCL) mulls introducing monthly electricity bills with a section of consumers demanding bills every month rather than quarterly bills which has been the practice of WBSEDCL.

"We have come across a difference in opinion among consumers about whether WBSEDCL electricity bills will be monthly or quarterly. So we are mulling the introduction of monthly bills in the city and its suburbs. To start with, from January next year, we are introducing monthly bills in four wards under Kolkata Municipal Corporation — 111, 112, 113 and 114. All these wards in the added area of the city are under WBSEDCL jurisdiction," state Power minister Aroop Biswas said during the question-answer session at the state Assembly on Wednesday.

Based on the response of the pilot project in the four wards, the Power department will go for further extension regarding monthly bills. CESC that supplies and distributes power in Kolkata charges a monthly tariff from its consumers. Several legislators raised the issue of low voltage in some parts of the state. Biswas informed the House that out of 345 blocks in the state, the problem of low voltage has been resolved in at least 325 blocks. In 20 odd blocks where there are still problems, the department is setting up or upgrading sub-stations to resolve the issue. "In Howrah, there are 44 sub-stations among which one is being upgraded while 7 new ones are being set up," Biswas said.

The minister also sought co-operation from the legislators to curb the menace of hooking (a process of power theft) which has even led to fatal incidents. Even the installation of AV cables has not proved to be foolproof for addressing the hooking issue.

"Our team has been campaigning across the state regarding hazards of hooking and are urging people to abstain from such illegal practice. The MLAs should also join hands with us in this endeavour to address hooking," Biswas added.