Margherita, 30th July: Residents of the Powai tea estate in Margherita, Assam, have raised allegations of a significant scam involving electricity bills amounting to Rs 29 lakh. The workers accuse the power department of discrepancies in billing under Jayanta Parmanik, a contractual employee of the Margherita division at Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL), who was responsible for meter readings and depositing collected payments.
Between 2018 and 2023, Parmanik allegedly failed to deposit Rs 29 lakh deducted from the tea workers’ salaries for electricity bills into the government treasury. Despite regular deductions ranging from Rs 400 to Rs 500 per household, the workers found significant anomalies in their bills. This discrepancy has caused widespread dissatisfaction and concern among the tea estate workers.
Shiban Goswami, Manager of APDCL Margherita Electrical Sub-division, declined to comment on the allegations. The issue gained further complexity during the Lok Sabha elections when the Chief Minister announced the waiver of electricity fees for tea workers. The introduction of digital meters led to inconsistent billing, with some workers receiving exorbitant bills up to Rs 25,000 in a single month, compared to the usual Rs 500.
The Powai tea estate workers have been under pressure from Margherita Assam Power Distribution Limited to clear the outstanding amounts, receiving online reminders despite the alleged misappropriation. In light of these events, the educated youth of the tea estate have demanded a high-level investigation by the Assam government to trace the missing Rs 29 lakh, suspecting embezzlement.