In peak summer, over 175 booked for power theft in Mumbai; residents say they have no option

Siddharth Colony residents have not paid their power bills since 2004-2005, and owe the power company about Rs 100 crore. File pic

Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited (AEML) on Monday disconnected 20 electricity meters of those with outstanding dues, and have so far booked around 175 consumers for alleged electricity theft after removal of their meters. Residents of Siddharth Colony at Chembur, where the action was taken, claim it was unjust and inhuman in the scorching heat of summer. Many say they will be forced to steal electricity now.

Almost 90 per cent of the residents of Siddharth Colony, home to 3,058 families, have not paid their power bills since 2004-2005, and owe the company about Rs 100 crore. In mid-March the AEML had asked them to pay the bills pending since June 2019, and given them 15 days to do so, failing which it would act. mid-day had reported on the issue in March.

‘We are being harassed'

Vatsala Kharat, a resident, was booked on April 20 with 11 other residents for electricity theft. She said, "As the residents union and Adani officials had agreed that we would pay outstanding bills from June 2019, we paid as much as we could. But still our meter was removed. The whole mess was created by someone else and we are being harassed. I and the others are left with no option but to take a connection illegally from another meter. Unless Adani and the state government find some permanent solution, what can we do?"

An AEML personnel disconnecting a meter at Siddharth Colony last week

From March 15, around 700 meters have been removed by AEML. After this, officials found some residents using electricity by stealing it, for which 15 FIRs have been filed in Deonar police station and more than 175 residents booked for it.

"Many residents like me are senior citizens, what will we do if there is no electricity? If AEML has given us the option to pay the outstanding amount, why are they taking action? I will be forced to steal electricity like others. The state government should look into this," said another resident, Bhagwan Garud. In the month of February, the residents union, AEML and government officials had a meeting where it was decided that some permanent solution should be found for this issue, and till then residents should pay outstanding amount from June 2019. Residents have claimed several developers in 2004-2005 approached them for redevelopment of the area, and told them they wouldn't have to pay power bills.

‘Builders duped us'

"We have been duped by the builders and had asked for some relaxation from paying the outstanding amount. Many residents are paying the amount. But still AEML officials have done this. No one can sit at home without electricity in such hot weather. The residents are left with no option but to get illegal connections," said Lahoo Kamble of the Siddharth Colony Ghar Hakka Sangharsh Samiti. AEML did not respond citing little time to revert. "The FIRs registered in Deonar police station are transferred to Chembur police station as the colony is in its jurisdiction. We have received multiple FIRs and are investigating them," said Sunil Jadhav, inspector, Chembur police station.