The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking said on Monday that its electricity wing is not overcharging customers but they have been billed by 'adjusting units'.
Consumers in the island city have received hefty electricity bills for July and have complained that the usage units do not match the amount they have been billed. Since June, consumers across the city claimed to have steep bills, 300 per cent of actual consumption.
The absurd amounts in electricity bills set off a hilarious meme fest on Twitter. Here are the best memes and jokes:
Meanwhile, in its statement, BEST has said, during the lockdown period of April, May and June, BEST officials did not carry out meter readings as per the order of the governments so they charged the consumers on the basis of estimated units.
However, after the easing of the lockdown in mid-July, the undertaking had resumed meter reading and hence, have added the remaining units of the preceding months with the units consumed in the present month.
"Customers were being charged estimated amounts earlier. Now that we have started reading meters, we are adjusting the amounts for the preceding months and adding it to the units consumed this month," said BEST spokesperson Manoj Varade.
"If the earlier estimated amount was less than the consumption, then consumers are being required to pay more and in case the estimated amount is more than the units consumed, then consumers will get credit and benefits on redressal of the issue," said Varade.
