The Paschimanchal Ekta Manch, an organisation of the elites, fighting for the causes of common people, submitted a memorandum to the Collector, Sambalpur narrating the monopoly of TPWODL (Tata Power Western Odisha Distribution Limited) and its rudeness to the public.
Hundreds of the members of PEM led by Manas Rankan Baksi and Bhawani Shankar Bhoi came in a vast procession from the SMC office and met Collector Dibya Jyoti Jena and narrated the ongoing unruly activities of TPWODL that is supposed to provide non-stop power supply on which it has done nothing so far.
“TPWODL is forcefully collecting arrears from the consumers. In the post Covid time, many people have been rendered jobless and are living miserably. In such situation the hooliganism by TPWODL while collecting arrears could never be tolerated,” wrote the PEM members in the memorandum.
"We informed the Collector that we had met the Superintending Engineer (SE) earlier. Since he didn’t take any action on our suggestions, we were forced to meet the district head,” said Baksi to the media. “We hope that the Collector will take necessary steps to set things the right," they added.
PEM secretary Bhawani Shankar Bhoi said that the TPWODL while taking over charge from Wesco was reluctant to collect the pending dues. But later it has become its priority for profit sake only, he said.
The members further lamented that the people here are the worst sufferers due to the Hirakud dam project, mining activities, pollution from the thermal power plants and so many other industries.
"But in return we are getting only rude behaviour,” Baksi and Bhoi said.