Inflation in Electricity bills in Bhatkal: HESCOM assures Vartha Bharati of rectifying all errors
Bhatkal: In what has come as a relief for the people of Bhatkal who received inflated electricity bills during the COVID-19 lockdown period, the HESCOM has assured it will rectify all the errors made by its systems.
A local organization led by a team of social activists including Abu Hajar, Ruwaifa Kola, and Rabee Ruknuddin and guided by local leaders had carried a campaign to identify the households which had received inflated bills during the lockdown.
The campaign was launched after residents raised initial complaints on social media groups about their grievances.
In the campaign, the activists studied electricity bill cycles of 31 houses of various areas in Bhatkal and concluded that there was unprecedented inflation in the bills. A virtual press conference was subsequently called by the organization detailing their findings of the study.
A report was published in Vartha Bharati over the issue on Sunday covering the issue. The HESCOM officials were unavailable for any comment on the matter while publishing the report.
On Monday, after repeated attempts, Vartha Bharati sub-editor Ismail Zaorez reached out to the Managing Director of the power supply company who took note of the report and materials of the study provided to him and took up the matter with Assistant Engineer of Bhatkal Division directing him to look into the matter.
The In-Charge Assistant Engineer, Mr. Kamble soon contacted Vartha Bharati over the matter and assured that all the grievances and errors that had resulted in inflation of bills will be rectified. Kamble admitted that the systems of HESCOM had failed to apply the slab system on the bills during the lockdown period as bills of three months were issued at once.
Kamble said some of the issues were already rectified and the consumers whose issues were not rectified yet, can visit the HESCOM office. He assured that the slab system will be applied on their bills and the consumers will be asked to pay the sum of the amount with an actual meter reading of the respective months.
On being asked about the commercial entities being charged exorbitantly even when the shops and factories were completely closed due to the lockdown, Kamble said “As the shops were closed, we were unable to visit and check the meter readings. We had to issue average bills for them. Now since the shops are open, we will visit them and new bills according to their actual meter reading will be issued with them. They need not panic about it all the issues will be sorted”.
Kamble was also of the opinion that the consumption of households had naturally gone up as people, due to the lockdown had remained at homes, which automatically escalated the usage of appliances like fans, ACs, and TVs. He however said there was an error in the application of the slab system on bills and that had resulted in inflation of bills.
“People can visit HESCOM offices, and all their grievances will be sorted. This is our assurance” Kamble told Vartha Bharati over a phone call.
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No contract was signed with Muzarabani for PSL stint, but verbal agreement was reached: PCB
Karachi (PTI): The Pakistan Cricket Board admitted that no contract was ever sent to Blessing Muzarabani to play in the PSL but insisted that a firm verbal agreement was reached with the Zimbabwe pacer and he had breached the trust while joining the Indian Premier League.
The PCB recently imposed a two-year ban on Muzarabani from playing in the PSL claiming he breached a contract with Islamabad United and joined IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders.
The fast bowler’s agent, Rob Humphries tore into the PCB on Sunday in a social media post for the ban and claimed his client neither took part in the PSL players auction nor signed any contract with Islamabad United.
Humphries said the ban was excessive and unjustified.
But sources in the PCB while conceding no contract was signed with Rabbani claimed that a clear verbal agreement between both the parties was reached.
The source said this was also clear in the PCB announcement about the ban that despite a clear offer and an unequivocal acceptance of essential terms, the player chose to disregard these obligations in favour of a conflicting arrangement.
The PCB source said once essential terms — including remuneration and structure — are agreed upon through written correspondence, a binding obligation is formed.
But Humphries said after talks began with Islamabad United they had made it clear that unless they had a contract they couldn’t apply for an NOC from the Zimbabwe Cricket.
“We've remained quiet publicly over the last six weeks because we did not wish to create or cause anymore animosity for the Pakistan Super League/Pakistan Cricket Board than they had already created for themselves,” Humphries’ statement said.
"[On] 13 February, Blessing [was] approached by Islamabad United about a playing opportunity for the 2026 PSL. The deal [was] agreed subject to obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Zimbabwe Cricket.
“An NOC cannot be obtained without a contract from the PSL. Islamabad United/PSL announced the signing to the world via social media,” it said.
Humphries further urged the PCB to gracefully withdraw the ban and accept this situation risen out of an administrative error at their end.
Muzarabani was taken by Islamabad as a replacement for West Indian pacer Shamar Joseph for USD 40,000.
