C'garh: Villagers forced to pay bill despite no power supply

Residents of Jhalpi Para village of Hargawa panchayat have voiced their discontent over the absence of power supply in their village even while claiming that they are receiving electricity bills regularly.

The villagers have alleged that there is no electricity connection in the houses but meters have been installed due to which they are receiving electricity bills.

One of the village residents said, "It has been over 60 years since I am living here and there is no arrangement of electricity. We complained everywhere, there have been many MLAs, sarpanch and block officers but no one did anything."

Another resident added, "There is no electricity. Meter has been installed two months back. The bill is coming to about Rs 500-600 without any connection."

The district administration, however, denied the claim of villagers receiving electricity bill while assuring that power supply will be provided in the area very soon.

SDM Baleshwar Ram said, "There are not many houses there but there are electricity poles. Electricity will be supplied there within a week. As far as the bills are concerned, I have enquired and found out that they have been issued in connection with the previous houses of two people."

In March last year, the Government of India had stated that out of 18,452 villages in India that were power deprived 3 years ago, 17,181 have been electrified. Others are uninhabited or classified as grazing reserves.