Gujarat family receives ₹20 lakh electricity bill due to technical glitch

A family in Gujarat was shocked to receive an astronomical electricity bill of Rs 20 lakh for June-July 2024 for using a fridge, TV, and four fans.

A surge in inflated electricity bills has been causing distress among consumers across India this year, attributed to various factors including extreme heat and technical errors.

The latest shocking incident occurred in Gujarat, where a family was stunned to receive a 20 lakh electricity bill for the June-July 2024 period.

A Shocking Surprise

The Patel family, consisting of four members, was left dumbfounded after receiving the astronomical bill from the South Gujarat Power Company. Despite using only basic household appliances such as fans, lights, a refrigerator, and a television, they were served a bill in the lakhs.

Panktiben Patel, who works at a petrol pump, expressed her disbelief and distress over the situation.

Patel explained that three members of the family are employed and out of the house during the day. “We have four bulbs, four fans, a fridge, and a TV.

Three of us are out working all day,” she told India Today. Despite their modest usage and regular bill payments, the family was shocked by the sudden and massive increase in their electricity charges.

Quick Resolution After Complaint

After receiving the inflated bill, the family immediately contacted the Gujarat Electricity Board (GEB). Initially, they were instructed to file a formal complaint and pay a fee to initiate the review process.

However, their ordeal was swiftly resolved after a GEB official reviewed the case and identified a meter reading error as the cause of the inflated bill. Within an hour, the family received a corrected bill, easing their distress.

A Widespread Issue

This incident in Gujarat is not an isolated case. Similar instances of inflated electricity bills have been reported across India. In Uttar Pradesh, a family living in a modest kutcha house with a tin roof received an electricity bill of ₹3.9 lakh after not receiving any bill for several months.

The cause was later identified as a technical glitch due to changes made to the server of the Kanpur Electricity Supply Company (Kesco), which led to incorrect meter readings.

Conclusion

These incidents highlight the challenges faced by consumers due to technical errors and server issues in the electricity supply system.

While the swift resolution in the Gujarat case provided relief, the recurrence of such issues across different states underscores the need for improved monitoring and error-checking mechanisms in the electricity billing process to prevent undue stress on consumers.