Effect of freebies: Chitradurga villagers refuse to pay power bills!

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: Even before the Congress government is formed in the state, residents of Siddapura village in Chitradurga taluk are refusing to pay the monthly power bill while pointing to the Congress promise of 200 units free power for every household.

What the villagers maybe do not know is that promises made by the Congress in its election manifesto, have to be discussed and approved in the State Cabinet meeting first. A bill collector from the power utility had gone to Siddapura village to serve the monthly electricity bill. At that time, a group of villagers confronted him and asked him not to issue any bills as the Congress had won and henceforth, electricity would be free for them.

The collector tried to explain to them that the new government had not yet been formed and so no decision had been taken yet. The villagers have decided not to pay power charges though the bill collector finally succeeded in handing over the bills to them.