2 July 2020 01:46 pm
A four-member committee had been appointed to look into making payment of electricity bills for March, April and May during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and to submit recommendations to provide concessions to the public, Power and Energy Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.
The committee was appointed to grant the general public concessions upon directives issued by the President, he said.
"The decision was taken after raising the issue at the Cabinet meeting held yesterday,” he said.
Additional Ministry Secretary Hemantha Samarakoon was appointed as the President of the committee and other three members including a Ceylon Electricity Board Manager have been appointed," the Minister said.
After completing the report by Monday (July 6), concessions would be granted and the report is to be handed over to the Cabinet meeting next week, the Minister said.
"The majority of the consumers had not paid the electricity bills for March, April and May. The CEB had estimated the due amount as Rs.20 billion. During the pandemic situation, the meter readings were not taken since March.
“Instead of that, issuing estimated bills started from June considering the usage," Minister Amaraweera said.
Consumers claimed that they received bills with higher amounts, but the CEB said the domestic electricity usage increased during the pandemic situation compared to February, he added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)