Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Jan 25 : Power Development Department (PDD) has sent hefty power bills to homeless flood victims and directed them to pay on stipulated time.
People are surprised to see that PDD employees have been roaming in streets to know the whereabouts of the homeless families, whose houses have collapsed in last year's floods. The residents said that the PDD employees find it tough to find the present address of many displaced families.
"PDD employees dropped dozens of power bills in my shop after they found a good number of families missing from their original address," Aijaz Ahmad Wani, who runs a shop at Qamarwari said.
The flood affected families of Qamarwari, Bemina, Nawakadal and other adjoining areas told this Correspondent that dozens of houses have collapsed during last year September floods, but they were surprised to receive electricity bills from PDD.
"I was surprised to receive a hefty power bill of my house despite the fact that I lost it in last year floods," one of the victims said, adding, his house has been turned into a heap of debris six months back.
The residents also said that scores of families among them approached to PDD's local office at Bemina and formally wrote to them to discontinue the power supply till new house are constructed at existing places. The affected families said that Electric Division-3rd Bemina despite knowing the ground realities has sent the bills.
The residents also said that the PDD in a verbal order has asked the victim families to pay the tariff for their rented accommodations'.
"We shifted to one of our relatives house and are living there from last five-months, but PDD is asking us to pay the flat rate bills of present location, despite the fact that we are living with relatives'," Feroz Ahmad, a local said, adding their present location was a metered area.
"We receive Rs 713 flat rate power bills few days ago," he said. Power Development Department (PDD) Chief Engineer (CE) Bashir Ahmad Khan said that the department was generating a huge quantity of bills for its subscribers and admitted that it might be an error to send the power bills homeless families.
He, however, said that there has been no concession in electricity bills from the Department to these affected families.
"Wherever, these families have been settled, they are using power. So, they have to pay," Khan said.
He also said the PDD has kept its officers available to address the public grievances. |
