Alirajpur (Madhya Pradesh): An elderly woman, Supribai from Nanpur village of Alirajpur district, voiced a distressing complaint during a public hearing, claiming that linemen from the electricity company had been threatening to disconnect her power.
Supribai, who lives in extreme poverty, shared her plight on Thursday, naming linemen Naval Singh and Ranjeet as the ones demanding extra payment, despite her previous submission of dues. The woman, bent with age and struggling to care for her sick son and daughter-in-law, earns a meagre living by running a small chocolate and bidi shop, bringing in barely Rs 50 a day.
She explained that her electricity meter had burned out, and after paying for one month’s bill, she was being unjustly asked to pay for an additional month. Her usual bill of around Rs 105-110 had inexplicably skyrocketed to Rs 1,200-1,600, causing her great distress.
Supribai’s emotional testimony brought attention to the hardships faced by many in her position, including her inability to secure her usual ration of five kilograms of grains due to poverty. With tears in her eyes, she expressed frustration that despite her complaints, she continued to face threats from the linemen.
She accused them of fabricating challans to justify their demands for payment. Addressing the issue, JE (rural) of the electricity company, Nargaonve, stated that the problem had been resolved and that the linemen had been instructed to install a new meter for Supribai.
However, the incident has raised concerns about the treatment of vulnerable citizens by electricity department employees in the region.
The matter has sparked outrage in the local community, with many calling for more accountability and humane treatment of those who cannot afford the rising costs of essential utilities.
