Lalit Dhiman, a resident of Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, was running a small-scale concrete business peacefully until he recently received an electricity bill that left him in shock. The bill amounted to an astronomical Rs 2,10,42,08,405 (Rs 210 crore).
Stunned by the staggering amount, Dhiman immediately approached the authorities. Upon investigation, officials discovered that the exorbitant bill was the result of a technical error. The power department quickly rectified the issue, bringing the bill down to the correct amount of Rs 4,047.
As part of the probe, the superintending engineer of the Hamirpur Zone summoned the Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) along with relevant records for verification. Ashish Kapoor, an officer from the power department, explained that the anomaly likely occurred due to an incorrect meter reading being entered into the system.
"It was a software malfunction that led to the consumer receiving an incorrect bill. The issue has since been rectified. We have summoned the concerned SDO with all the details and will take action if any lapses are found," Kapoor told India Today.
The SDO has been directed to ensure that such errors are prevented in the future.
Source: India Today