Adding to the woes of electricity consumers already burdened with a steep increase in power tariff, the assessment officers of Tamil Nadu generation and distribution corporation (Tangedco) are refusing to mark the exact amount to be paid as consumption charges and instructing consumers to approach their office to know the charges.
The revised tariff came into effect April 1 following the tariff order issued by Tamil Nadu electricity regulatory commission.
The consumers have been put to unnecessary hardship in spite of Tangedco clearly spelling out working instruction to calculate the charges as per the revised tariff through a circular dated March 31 to its distribution circles.
Ms L. Dhanam, a resident of MGR nagar, complained that the assessor had entered in the card only the units consumed and not the charges. “Usually, after entering the meter reading, the assessor will enter the number of units consumed and charges levied,” she said.
Mr V. Gopalakrishnan, who runs a shop at MGR nagar market, said now he have to stand in two queues – one to enter the consumption charges and another to pay the bill. “We are being unnecessarily put to hardship,” he said.
A senior Tangedco official said instructions have been given to all distribution circles on the methodology to calculate consumption charges. “The confusion might be because of calculating the charges based on old and new tariff,” the official said, adding that if there were any specific complaints, action would be taken against the erring official.