TNI Bureau: Millions of electricity consumers are shocked and peeved over the unprecedented decision taken by the Central Electricity Supply Utility (CESU) to demand additional security deposit from the subscribers and the threat to disconnect the electric supplies.
The shocking threat issued by the CESU without bothering about the consequences, has raised several questions. Are we living in a banana republic? Are the common people are being taken for granted or their patience is being treated by the CESU? They already had their say when the power tariff was hiked by around 35% earlier this year. Now the latest bomb dropped by the CESU has triggered a massive outrage across the state.
For CESU, this is just a routine change. They maintained that the revised security charges are in line with the increased power tariff that took place this year. CESU has asked the consumers to two months of average bills in advance as part of the security deposit.
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Consumers, who had paid a less amount towards the security deposit earlier, will have to pay the balance money as per the estimates/adjustments made by the CESU. If they fail to comply, the power distribution company would leave them in darkness.
Meanwhile, Energy Minister Shri Arun Sahoo has taken note of the grievances of the common people and assured that his department would review CESU’s decision of collecting additional security deposit money from the people. Some consumer right activists, opposition parties and NGOs have slammed CESU’s decision and threatened to approach the court and launch agitation if the power distribution company does not reverse its order.
Hopefully, good sense will prevail and CESU would act in a more reasonable manner. If they fail to do that, people in Odisha trust Shri Arun Sahoo to take up this matter and reign in the power distribution company and force it to address the real concerns of the consumers.
Breaking News: Energy Minister Shri Arun Sahoo has reviewed the matter and asked CESU to put the hike of security deposit on hold. The Energy Department will further review the decision in details and come up with its note.