No disconnection of supply, CESC to issue new due date for bill payment

Kolkata: There will be no disconnection of power supply till the private power utility CESC issues a revised bill for payment based on June usage informed Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, the state Power minister.

After a meeting between state Power minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay and senior CESC officials at Bidyut Unnayan Bhavan on Monday afternoon, the minister suggested that consumers should wait for the new bill showing the usage for June and then pay the amount.

A bill with a new due date is expected from the CESC in the next few days.

Chattopadhyay said consumers will not have to pay electricity bills for April and May for the time being and CESC will decide the matter later. The CESC has informed the minister that the consumers will be allowed rebates and get a slab benefit while there will be no disconnection at the moment.

The minister acknowledged that "unrealistic bills" had been sent to some consumers but those can be corrected once complaints are lodged by subscribers.

Informing people about the CESC's decision Abhishek Banerjee, president, Trinamool Youth Congress, tweeted: "Around 25.5L consumers have been benefited by CESC's decision to not charge for the unbilled units of April & May along with the June electricity bill. Those who had already paid it need not worry. It is clarified that you can either take a refund or adjust it in future bills."

After facing flak over "exaggerated electricity bills" for June in Kolkata, the CESC on Sunday had decided not to charge dues of April and May in the current month's bill.

Many people had hit the streets over the last few days to voice their displeasure against "inflated" bills. Even celebrities have vented their ire on social media against alleged exaggerated billing.

It may be mentioned that in the past few days, talks had been held between Chattopadhyay and senior CESC officials after people complained of getting arbitrary electricity bills. Even Chattopadhyay got electricity bills to the tune of Rs 11,000 which he said was abysmal.

However, sending arbitrary bills to consumers by CESC continues unabated. A temple in Baranagore has received electricity bill worth Rs 1,05,920. The sevaet of the temple said he was shocked to get a bill of such a high amount.

The monthly bills vary anything between Rs 800 and Rs 1,000. "It is really shocking, the CESC has not spared the deity even," he said.

The CESC supplies electricity to Kolkata and the greater Kolkata region, while state-run power utility, the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL), caters to other districts of Bengal.