In an unprecedented billing anomaly, Basant Sharma, a resident of Sector 122, Noida, was startled to receive an electricity bill exceeding Rs 4 crore for three months. The bill, issued to his wife Priyanka Sharma, covered usage from April 9 to July 18, totaling Rs 4,02,31,842.31. Sharma, employed with Railway, was away for official training in Shimla and learned of the bill through an SMS notification on Thursday, setting a payment deadline of July 24.
The staggering amount prompted immediate action from Sharma, who contacted the local power distribution company. They attributed the inflated bill to an erroneous meter reading and assured Sharma that the discrepancy would be rectified promptly. The house is presently on rent, and the tenant, who primarily worked from home, was the sole occupant during the billing cycle, explained Sharma, adding that the consumption primarily involved basic electrical appliances.
Acknowledging the billing error, Shivam Tripathi, the executive engineer overseeing the area, emphasised the rarity of such incidents. The meter reading was clearly incorrect in this case, Tripathi stated, saying that upon receiving the complaint, he had instructed the staff to conduct a fresh reading and issue a revised bill.
The initial bill indicated a last meter reading of 85,936 units on April 8, with a subsequent reading of 90,144 units on July 18. Following standard deductions and adjustments, the corrected amount due is expected to be significantly lower than the originally stated figure.
Basant Sharma expressed relief upon receiving assurances from the electricity department and anticipates a revised bill reflecting the accurate usage charges. He also noted the possibility of availing a Rs 2.8 lakh discount if payment is made within the stipulated timeframe.
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