Tangedco extends deadline for payment by 2 days. Here’s why

CHENNAI: As several consumers faced issues while paying their electricity bill due to newly laid mandate of linking Aadhaar with service connection numbers, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) as extended the deadline by two days for due dates fall between November 24 and November 30.

In a circular to all circle superintending engineers, Tangedco has pointed out that since collection option is enabled only after obtaining the Aadhaar numbers and its validation, many could not make payment both online and offline.

"Hence, extension of time for payment of LT CC Charges for those consumers whose due date falls from November 24 to November 30 shall be provided for 2 days from the respective due date so as to avoid inconvenience to the consumer while linking Aadhar on the last day for payment of CC charges. This extension of time shall be allowed to those categories of consumers who are required to link Aadhar," the circular added.

As per the circular, if a domestic consumer's last date to pay the EB bill is November 30, he can pay the bill before December 2, those who have to pay the bill on November 25, can pay till November 27 without their connections disconnected. In a letter to TNERC (Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission), Coimbatore Consumer Cause said: "You are aware mostly poor, innocent people only visiting Section Offices nowadays to remit the CC charges by cash. If suddenly they are asked to link it would be very difficult and they face disconnection for non payment of CC charges."

It also pointed out that the tenants are the most sufferers as the landlords have to cooperate with them and many landlords may not be available locally or even in the country.

Politicos urge roll back

Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Makkal Needhi Maiam have urged the State government not to insist Aadhaar for paying power charges.

In a statement, K Balakrishnan, state secretary of CPM, said that lakhs of residents, who are already suffering from tariff hike, affected by move as they could not pay their power bills.

He also urged the government to roll back the announce to link Aadhaar with power connection numbers.

MNM state secretary Senthil Arumugam urged the government to allow consumers to pay bills without linking the Aadhaar.

"Government should give three months time to link and Aadhaar and enable easy ways to do the same," he said.