Extra power charges irk Red Cross Society hostellers

Ravi Chandel

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 23

Women staying at the Red Cross Society’s Working Women Hostel have been a harried lot, as the authorities have asked them to either pay Rs 300 extra to bear the electricity bill charges or leave the hostel.

Hostel inmates said till now those staying in a room having attached bathroom and kitchen were paying Rs 250 each while the ones putting up in dormitory were paying Rs 125 each as fixed electricity bill charges. Besides, if inmates wanted to have cooler or refrigerator in their room or dormitory then they had to contribute extra to their existing electricity bill charges.

However, with the hostel receiving a recent electricity bill of Rs 26,000, the authorities are forcing them to pay Rs 300 extra so that they can bear the electricity bill charges.

Hostel inmates, majority of who are studying in various institutes, said they haven’t installed cooler or refrigerator in their rooms due to their poor financial condition, adding that they are managing with the fan despite mercury soaring in the region.

However, the authorities are now asking them to shell out Rs 300 extra.

Incidentally, the hostel complex also houses the kitchen facility of Sasti Rasoi and Cancer Society Short Stay Home, both of which draw electricity from it. Besides, the Night Shelter complex under which District Rehabilitation Centre is also consuming the electricity of the hostel complex.

The hostel inmates alleged that Red Cross Society secretary Naveen Gadwal misbehaved with them instead of listening to their grievances when they approached him over the issue.

They said they will leave the hostel, if the authorities did not roll back the decision of charging them extra.

On the other hand, secretary Gadwal rejected the allegation of misbehaving with the girls staying in the hostel. He said he was just trying to convey them the entire matter and if they felt otherwise it does not mean that he misbehaved with them.

DC Diprava Lakra, who is also the society president, said, “We are going to install sub-metres in the hostel complex to resolve the issue. Besides, we will exempt them from paying any extra bill charges this time.”