Muzaffarpur, Aug 31: Electricity consumers in Muzaffarpur protested at the Tilak Maidan Electricity Office on Monday over alleged sudden deductions of deferment charges, with several claiming that amounts ranging from Rs 800 to Rs 5,000 were deducted from their accounts in one go.
A large number of consumers reached the electricity office and raised complaints with officials and staff, alleging that the lump-sum deductions were disrupting their monthly household budgets and affecting essential expenses.
Consumers said their electricity account balances suddenly went into negative after the deductions. Mohammad Naushad, a resident of Maharaji Pokhar, said around Rs 800 was deducted from his account, pushing the balance into the red.
Several other consumers reported deductions of Rs 2,000, Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000.
“The balance suddenly goes into the red by about Rs 800,” Naushad said.
Consumers said the issue was not new and similar complaints were being reported every month. They demanded that the deferment charge be recovered in instalments instead of being deducted as a lump sum.
“If the deferred charge were deducted in installments, they would not face so much trouble,” consumers said.
Around 40,000 electricity consumers are registered in the Chandwara and Saraiyaganj sections, of whom nearly 30,000 are reportedly affected by deferment charges.
The recurring deductions have triggered resentment among consumers, who have demanded a permanent solution and greater clarity from the electricity department regarding the charges.
“Such complaints are being reported every month,” consumers said.
Their problems were compounded by an alleged server outage at the electricity office. Several consumers who had arrived to get billing discrepancies corrected were unable to have their complaints resolved because the system was reportedly not functioning.
People were forced to wait for extended periods at the office as staff could not make corrections in the bills amid the technical problem.
Consumers have demanded an investigation into the deductions and immediate correction or recovery of any amount found to have been wrongly debited.
They also urged the department to collect deferment charges in instalments, arguing that sudden deductions of thousands of rupees were placing an additional burden on household finances.
“Paying their electricity bills is a necessity, but the sudden deduction of thousands of rupees is affecting essential household expenses,” consumers said.
