The CPI(M) in Nashik is demanding a refund of charges collected under the guise of meter testing by Mahavitaran or Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSCDCL), warning of agitation if their demands are not met.
Over the past 14 years, Mahavitaran allegedly collected ₹3 crore from customers in the Nashik division for meter testing, with 23,618 customers cheated out of ₹67 lakh rupees in the last three years alone.
Despite fees being collected, meter testing has not been conducted in the Nashik division, leading CPI(M) leaders such as DL Karad to demand refunds for affected customers. An average of 10,000 consumers annually pay approximately ₹28 lakhs for meter fee checking, yet the testing is not performed. For the years 2021 to 2023, a total of ₹66.80 lakh in meter inspection fees was collected from 23,618 consumers, with 99 percent of meters left uninspected.
Advocates including Adv Tanaji Jaibhave, Adv Vasudha Karad, Adv Sitaram Thombare, Adv Dagdu Vadgar, and Adv Dinesh Sathbhai have urged the Chief Engineer to investigate and take action in this matter, emphasising the need for prompt resolution to avoid potential protests.
