[Resolved]  Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co Ltd — extortion type of billing

Address:

Raigad, Maharashtra

Consumer number[protected].
This is a house which we own but do no go there, because on interrupted power supply. We have been paying minimum charge of Rs 30 or Rs 40. This February the company took a wrong reading and the bill came to Rs400.This extra charge we decided to pay in Aug 2012. After this they got bold and followed bills for Sept 2012 70 units Rs 313.38. October 70 units Rs 361.95. November 100 units 498.89. All these notional charges are wrong because the meter which they claim to be faulty was working. I always note the reading and the consumption and always switch the main switch on and off and lock it. Also last month the meters have been changed to electronic ones.
They now say pay the bill or we will cut the supply.

I had last visited on Sept 2 2012. After this I visited on 1 December 2012. It was then that I got these bills. The new electronic meter was reading 5 and after use on that day it was 7 showing a use of 2 units. If they remove the supply the meter will not read hence the point that the previous was perfectly OK and they have called it a faulty meter. In other words the engineer is not straight. He is trying to get from us whatever he feels is a shortfall due to pilferage.

I had hand written a letter and sent it with my gardener. They accepted the letter but refused to give acknowlegment saying you pay the bill first.

Till today the bill is Rs 1250. I do not like to pay this bill because this sets precedent. Another neighbour pays it because he goes there regularly and even though he knows the bill is wrong he pays it. However he does not know about electricity.
About non use minimum payment of Rs30 I have been doing so for my part house in Bandra to Reliance for the last 12 years.