DEOLALI CAMP: As alleged by the former deputy mayor of Bhagur Municipal Council, Kakasaheb Deshmukh, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) is looting people under the guise of security deposits and exorbitant bills. The general public is already suffering due to the pandemic, and the company should reduce the charges immediately. Failure to do so shall lead to an agitation against the company by the general public.
The middle-class and lower-class groups are bearing the brunt of the rising electricity bills. MSEDCL collects security deposits every year. However, customers remain unaware of the usage of their deposits and allege that MSEDCL is using the deposit money to cover its deficit. Therefore, Bhagur residents have decided not to pay the bill and will launch an agitation if the company doesn’t reduce the bill.
MSEDCL issues an additional security deposit at the end of the financial year. A security deposit equivalent to the electricity consumption in a month is collected from every monthly billed consumer. This deposit is to cover the losses if customers fail to repay their bills. As stated by Deshmukh, 90% of villagers account for regular payers, and still, they received the security deposit amount along with the bill. However, the company issues additional security bills to all the consumers irrespective of their payment history.