MARGAO
Power Minister Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar’s reassurance that the department will not go in for power disconnections over the increase in load in households beyond the sanctioned load has hardly brought any cheers to the beleaguered power consumers.
For, in the absence of Help Desk and help and assistance from the department in uploading the scanned electrical reports coupled with the fact that some unscrupulous contractors charge fees as per their whims and fancies, consumers are literally left at the mercy of the contractors and agents.
No doubt, the Power department has for the moment temporarily stopped issuing further notices to the power consumers to submit files indicating the increase in load in the households.
Sources, however, in the know say that power consumers have been left at the mercy of contractor and agents in the absence of a Help Desk at the offices of the Power department to guide the consumers and charge them nominal rates in getting their electrical certificate and scan and upload the documents.
With the consumers being set a deadline to submit files suggesting the increase in load in the households, panic stricken power consumers have found themselves at the mercy of electrical contractors, charging exorbitant fees to prepare the files.
In fact, a power consumer pointed out that the Power department cannot remain a mute spectator when some unscrupulous contractors have quoted fees as per their whims and fancies. “Why doesn’t the Power department notify the fees and charges for the contractors to prepare the file for increase in the load? If the private contractors are not willing to go by the fees charged by the department, the Power department should put in an alternative mechanism to protect the interests of the consumers,” remarked a power consumer.
Sources in the know pointed out that consumers have been fleeced by gullible agents to scan and upload the files by charging exorbitant rates. “A Help Desk set up by the department can save the consumers from the clutches of agents,” remarked another consumer.
Conceding that the fears and complaints aired by the power consumers are genuine with reports of contractors and agents making merry at the cost of consumer, a power official said a notification capping the contractors rates to prepare the file should help mete out justice to the consumers.
