SHILLONG, AUG 28: Meghalaya government promised to introduce a Customer Care Centre (CCC) to look into the grievances of the consumers with regards tp abnormal electricity billing or any other discrepancies.
Meghalaya power minister Clement Marak assured this to a Joint Action Committee (JAC) delegation formed by the United Democratic Party (UDP) who met him along with the headmen of the different localities in Shillong and its adjoining areas on Wednesday.
“It was decided that the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) would soon introduce the CCC to attend to the grievances and complaints by the consumers,” UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh told reporters after the meeting.
Lyngdoh informed that the MeECL has also agreed to introduce online billing and payments within this year besides extension of public grievances cell and complaint cell to different parts of the city.
Lyngdoh said, “We have also demanded the opening of extension counter by MeECL in different localities so as to ease the public precious time spent in long queues for making payment.”
Stating that the spot billing system recently introduced is still at its initial stage, Lyngdoh said, “The government has decided that spot billing will be fixed within 30 days.” According to him, there are cases where spot billing is seen to be billed between 40 – 50 to even 64 days period causing hardship and burden to the common man.
“We have also urged the government that in cases of unavoidable circumstances where spot billing is made for two months or more, an extension period should be given and also payment by installment without penalty be granted to the consumers, since 15 days time should be granted to a consumer to make payment from the date that the bill is issued,” Lyngdoh said.
On the issue where the tariff charges does not reflect in the spot billing generated sheet as in the old billing system, the JAC further suggested that a separate chart should be generated simultaneously indicating tariff charges while generating spot billing enabling the consumers to calculate and satisfy themselves.
They also demanded the need to recruit more meter readers to achieve the target.
Lyngdoh added that in cases where the meter readers failed to signed for authenticating the bill issued, public should bring such matter to the notice of the MeECL authority for necessary action.
“We have also made it clear that the fixed charges should not exceed 12 times in a calendar year and refund should be made to the consumer if fixed rate charges are levied for more than 12 times in a year,” Lyngdoh said.
Meanwhile, the JAC also suggested on the need to appoint contract maintenance contractors to promptly act on complaints and immediate replacement of worn out spare parts since most of the complaints are not adhered promptly with the standard and frequent reply being that there is no stock available at present for replacement either of bulbs, starters, chokes, timers which is experienced by all dorbar shnongs regarding street lights in all localities.- By Our Reporter
I also fell victim to this irresponsive way of giving a bill . There can be a one figure misunderstanding but in my bill all the figures are wrong . I do not understand how childish mistakes these people make …… not only me there might be many like me . When i went to the Jinkeing branch with the complaint , they advised me to go to the head office. Why should i go to their head office. It is their fault and they must come and rectify it. It is their sole responsibility.