MULUGU: A woman in Premnagar, Mulugu, was left shocked after getting an electricity bill of Rs 1,43,136 for August despite using only basic appliances and having no pending dues. Officials have admitted that the meter malfunctioned and said a revised bill would be issued.
K Pramila, who has been living in a rented house in Premnagar for eight months, said the family had no pending dues on the electricity service connection. She said they use only a television, two ceiling fans and two LED bulbs.
Pramila said officials had inspected the meter in June and told her that it needed to be replaced. The meter was taken away for testing but was later reinstalled at the house.
After receiving the unusually high bill for August, she approached the department and sought its correction.
Speaking to TNIE, Mulugu Divisional Engineer K Raju said the meter was found to be malfunctioning. After receiving information about the unusually high bill, staff visited the residence and found that the service meter was stuck and not functioning properly.
The meter was sent for testing, which confirmed technical issues, Raju said, adding that the bill was being revised. Raju also said the service was not covered under the Gruha Jyothi scheme and that there were arrears on the house owner’s account.