Basti: In a shocking incident from Uttar Pradesh, the state electricity department sent an electricity bill of a staggering Rs 7 crore to a poor farmer, which left him completely stunned and distressed.
The incident took place in Ramaya village, located under Keshavpur feeder of Haraiya electricity substation in Basti district. The farmer, Molhu, received the bill despite using minimal electricity in his household.
Shocking bill amount
According to Molhu, only a fan and a bulb are used in his home, yet the bill he received was nearly impossible for him to comprehend. Unable to afford such an astronomical sum, Molhu was forced to make numerous rounds to the electricity department in a desperate attempt to resolve the issue, but no one offered him any help or guidance.
The situation took a toll on the farmer, who was already burdened with a Rs 75,000 outstanding bill as of December 2024. However, just a month later, he received a shockingly high bill of Rs 7.33 crore.
The massive amount sent Molhu into a state of deep distress, and he even suffered a heart attack upon seeing the bill. In his emotional appeal, he said, “I was about to get a heart attack after seeing this bill. I have a daughter, how will I get her married? Such a huge bill is impossible for a poor family like us.”
Officials take action
Molhu’s son also expressed frustration, saying that despite making multiple complaints to the department, no one took action. Feeling helpless, Molhu decided to share his story on social media, which quickly gained traction and drew attention to the grave mistake made by the electricity department. As the matter gained momentum, it eventually reached the state’s energy minister AK Sharma.
The minister took the complaint seriously and swiftly intervened. Upon investigating the matter, he ordered an inquiry into the incident and took action by suspending the employee responsible for the error, Deepak Tiwari. The minister also assured that the issue would be rectified promptly and that the correct electricity bill would be issued to Molhu.
In response to the complaint, superintending engineer Prashant Singh confirmed that the matter had been brought to his attention, and he promised that the bill would be corrected without delay.(Agencies)
