GUWAHATI: In a bid to address the issue of rising monthly electricity bills in the state, Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) today, Wednesday, September 21, released helpline numbers for customers to register complaints without hassle. The customers can now contact on the number 1912 to register their complaints.
Additionally, consumers can also register their grievances related to rising monthly dues through WhatsApp on the number: 7575999666.
The power company further assured quick resolution of any complaints registered on the helpline numbers. They said that the bill would be amended following investigation of the complaints.
This step from APDCL comes after much disappointment was raised by consumers across the state against the “abnormally high” electricity bills charged by Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) in the past couple of months, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday, September 16, blamed ‘faulty readings in some newly-installed smart meters” as the reason for such a situation.
“There has been no hike in power tariff but instances (complaints) of unreasonable bill amounts have come in from consumers which are due to faulty readings in some of the newly installed smart meters. Instructed APDCL to urgently fix the faulty smart meters and address public grievances,” the chief minister informed through Twitter.
Though; APDCL still aims to install 6.2 lakh of these “so-called” faulty smart meters in the state under the Rs 566.33-crore central government’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). APDCL has already installed over two lakh smart meters from November 2021 to May 2022.
Himanta Biswa Sarma had on Tuesday, September 20 said that customers having complaints with their monthly electricity bills will have to submit a formal application mentioning their issues. CM Sarma said that the grievances will have to be addressed by customers to their regional APDCL offices. After a request is raised, officials from the power department will visit their homes and examine their meter boxes, added the CM. He further mentioned that in case any fault is found in their respective meter boxes, the monthly dues will be adjusted with the bill of the upcoming month.
