Srinagar, Jan 6 (KNS): Budgam MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi has written separately to the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, seeking a one-time waiver of previous electricity bills of domestic consumers in view of what he described as widespread public hardship.
In the letters, Mehdi said a large section of the population was facing severe financial distress due to rising unemployment, inflation and reduced household incomes, making it difficult for many families to clear accumulated electricity arrears.
He said unpaid electricity bills had become a source of constant anxiety for economically vulnerable households, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, where income opportunities remained limited.
Referring to the region’s climatic conditions, the MLA said Jammu and Kashmir experiences harsh and prolonged winters during which electricity is a basic necessity rather than a luxury. He said heating, lighting and essential household functioning depend heavily on uninterrupted power supply.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Mehdi argued that penalising consumers for higher electricity usage during winter months, when alternative heating options are largely absent, was “deeply unjust”.
The Budgam legislator also raised concerns over the recent imposition of electric meters, saying the move was implemented without adequate public awareness, sufficient transition time or effective grievance redressal mechanisms.
He said many households were unprepared for the steep electricity bills that followed the installation of meters, and that consumers were being burdened through no fault of their own.
In his appeal, Mehdi said governance was at its strongest when it listened to the concerns of the weakest sections of society.
He said a one-time waiver of previous electricity bills for domestic consumers would provide immediate relief and help restore public trust.
The MLA urged the authorities to consider the request with empathy and take appropriate steps in the larger public interest.(KNS).