Disaster-hit villagers gherao UPCL office against power bills

BD Kasniyal

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Pithoragarh, December 23

Residents of disaster-hit villages of Dharchula ans Munsiyari, irked at the electricity bills sent by Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL), today gheraoed the office of Darpan Singh Nikhurpa, SDO, UPCL Dharchula circle.

The protesters apprised the SDO of their plight and said if the government did not write off the bills of disa-ster affected villagers, they would resort to an agitation.

“Though the state government has announced to write off the bills of disaster- affected villages, the electricity department has sent huge bills of Rs 20,000 to every villager of Jauljibi and Dharchula, which is not acceptable to us,” said Leeela Banagyal, president of Mahila Sashaktikaran Manch at Jauljibi, which organised the gherao.

The SDO of UPCL told the woman delegation that wrong billing had come up as it was linked to the old readings of electricity bills of the area and the department would correct it within 10 days.

“The electricity bills of people, who have not deposited these after 2013 disaster, will be checked in terms of government’s announcement and after correcting accordingly, the new bills would be sent to the consumers,” Nikhurpa said.