INDIA
Uttar Pradesh: The residents say they still don't know who to approach regarding the issue.
Residents of 12 villages in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district got shocked when they received bills of Rs 60,000 even when they don't have a power connection. The incident happened in the villages of Alauddinpur, Dera, Khoksa, Naya Gaon and Bhagirath etc. The villages have mainly the population of the Bawaria tribe.
Reports suggest that the bills ran from Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000 and have caused anger among villagers. The residents have said they still don't know who to approach regarding the issue.
According to some villagers, the power department had installed meters at their houses years ago but the free electricity promised to them never came. Around 250 people in Khoksa village are worried about the power bills.
"Officials had installed four metres in our houses. They said the metres were free and promised that the electricity will also be provided for free," TOI quoted Saroj Devi from Khoksa village as saying.
Devi further said the power department staff visited their house last week and handed them over bills of Rs 50,000-60,000 for each of the four metres.