VILLUPURAM: Residents of GRP Street, primarily occupied by economically disadvantaged families, were in for a shock when their electricity bill for the months of June and July showed an unprecedented surge, recording Rs 5,000 for a house. This is despite the absence of electrical appliances in most of the houses.
The unexpected spike has left the community baffled and outraged, leading to accusations of fraudulence against an employee of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB), who is responsible for recording the power meters in the area. "TNEB employee S Lakshmanan has deliberately manipulated the meter readings for all the houses on GRP Street. The motive behind this alleged malpractice seems to be an attempt to scam the residents and overcharge them for the electricity they consumed," M Parameshwari, a resident and a wage labourer, tells TNIE.
GRP Street is located at the heart of Villupuram town, and is home to families living in small houses, including huts and those with tile roofs. The exorbitant electricity bills has caused distress in the community, said sources. Residents expressed their grievances and frustration during a heated gathering outside their houses, on Thursday.
Parameswari added, "I have lived in this house for over a decade, and never before have I faced such a huge electricity bill. It is evident that someone is taking advantage of our vulnerable situation, and we demand action against this corruption."
Another resident (on condition of anonymity), a 45-year-old woman, said, "People living here work as wage labourers in the market area nearby, while others take up similar works. Moreover, most houses here have a fan and a television, and a few have a refrigerator. In this situation, if the EB ranges between Rs 2,000 - Rs 5,000, does that even make sense?
Most of the residents have claimed that their electricity bills would not exceed Rs 500 even when fans were used during the summers. With rains in late June and students going off to schools and colleges, and parents leaving for jobs, the houses are locked with almost no power consumption during the day, they added.
Official sources from the collectorate stated that an internal investigation committee on the matter will be set up in the TNEB department and that those responsible for the issue will be brought to book. However, the Chief Engineer of Villupuram range TNEB was unavailable when reached for comment.