Ex-CM Thakur flays steep hike in power bills for irrigation

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur today alleged that the Electricity Department was charging five to six time higher bills for the connection taken by farmers for irrigation. “It is injustice with the poor farmers. Such an increase is beyond comprehension, and the farmers are making rounds of the power offices,” alleged Thakur.

Thakur said that he had been getting calls from several farmers from different parts of the state over the increase in electricity bills. Citing an example, Thakur said that an Una farmer paid Rs 669 for consuming 605 units for the month of March, which included Rs 370 as cess. Thakur further said that the same farmer consumed 591 units in the month of April and he was handed a bill of Rs 3,445. “And it’s not one isolated case. The electricity bills of many farmers have increased many times the same way. This is injustice to the farmers of the state,” said Thakur.