The Central Electricity Service Utility (Cesu) has given franchise to one Shyam Indus Company in Athagarh since 2013. The company’s Riverside Utility Private limited (RUPl) unit is working here with a view to provide better facilities to the power customers. In its agreement, it had agreed to sort out low voltage problem, repair damaged poles, install new poles for enhancing connection, undertake meter reading, issue just bills and collect the bill amounts from the customers. But customers here have alleged harassment by the company.
They alleged that wrong bills are not corrected, previous collected bills are not shown in next bill, poles not repaired, new poles not installed, damaged wires not changed, while power cuts are frequent. They also alleged that the company was threatening customers for disconnecting power if the bill was not paid. A Cesu officer said RUPl is given six per cent of its collection but on service front it does not live up to the expectation. If two per cent of the collection was given to Cesu’s original staff, they would provide better service, he said.