Patna, Nov. 23: Power consumers in some parts of the state capital suspect that they are being charged at a higher slab rate because of delayed delivery of electricity bills.

The consumers claimed that instead of getting monthly electricity bills, they receive inflated bills of accumulated amounts at an interval of two-three months, which affect their budget.

They alleged that the board was not providing detailed electricity bills in a transparent manner.

They also fear that the state electricity board might be charging them at a higher slab rate because of accumulation of amounts over two-three months. For example, if a consumer receives a bill for 1,000 units in three months, then they might be charged at a rate of Rs 4.70 per unit for 700 units. The board charges Rs 4.70 per unit above 300 units.

Of its 10 divisions in urban Patna, Patna Electric Supply Undertaking (Pesu) has so far introduced electricity bill generation through hand-held billing machine in eight divisions. Under the hand-held billing machine system, a meter reader from the electricity department goes to consumers with a machine, jots down the reading and generates the bill with the help of the machine in their presence before delivering the same on the spot.

Sudha Pandey, a housewife and a resident of Ashiana Nagar, told The Telegraph: “I have received an accumulated electricity bill for three months and hence, my budget has gone for a toss. Not only that, I fear that the board is also charging me at a higher slab rate (of Rs 4.70 per unit). If I had got my bills every month, then I would not have to bear the brunt of the board’s apathy. Pesu should allow us to deposit the bill in instalments.”

Binod Prasad, a retired government official and a resident of Magistrate Colony, said: “In the age of transparency, we are clueless as how the board or Pesu calculates the per unit charge. Whether they (Pesu) distribute the accumulated energy units in equal parts (say if 500 units, then it should 250 units per month) for charging the unit according to the revised tariff rate.”

Shankar Prasad, a businessman of Magistrate Colony, said: “How can the board that can’t distribute the bills on time provide uninterrupted power to the state capital? The board should not only think of imposing an additional burden on consumers in the form of fuel surcharge and premium charge but they should first provide quality service. The board must distribute more transparent bill statements and ensure its timely distribution.”

Pesu general manager-cum-chief engineer SKP Singh denied the allegations.

“Our software has been designed in a manner that even if an electricity bill is generated for three months, it is divided into three equal parts and billed according to the tariff rate per slab of 100 units,” he told The Telegraph.

Singh added: “If any consumer has any doubt, I can show it to him on the computer. The consumers can approach the official concerned in their respective division and get their doubts cleared.”

Asked that the consumers were not getting timely bills, Singh said it (getting accumulated electricity bills for three months) is a temporary problem. It would be streamlined in future. “Now, people get 15 days’ time for pay bills unlike two-three days’ time earlier,” he said