Hyderabad: Power dues leave OU slum dwellers in dark

Hyderabad: Slum dwellers of Osmania University have been forced to live in the dark as there is no supply of electricity to their houses for the past few months. The dwellers submitted a representation to concerned officials urging them to solve their issues.

About 3,000 families have been residing in nine bastis that includes (Camp no.3, Camp no.4, Camp no.5, Camp no. 6, Jamia Osmania basti, VC Lodge basti, Angad Bazar basti, Nursery Garden basti and Old Dairy Farm Basti from past several years. Recently the Osmania University stopped the supply of electricity to these bastis as the dwellers have not paid the electricity bills. The dwellers did not receive any electricity bill from Osmania University from the past 100 years and this is the first time that the authorities are asking them to pay the electricity bills.

"We are living in Osmania University campus since the inception of the University in 1917. Many of them are still engaged in different support works at Osmania University as outsourcing workers and we are the third generation people residing at Osmania University. ''Recently the university stopped the supply of electricity and consequently, we approached the Telangana State Human Rights Commission. Resultantly, electricity was restored for a few houses. We also received electricity bills and are forced to pay a huge amount. We have requested the concerned officials to install sub meter in each house, so that we pay the amount as per the electricity consumed. It would be better if the State government also allot us double bedroom scheme for us to lead a peaceful life," said Syed Khaled Shah Chishti Hussaini, Convener of slums.

"It has been almost 15 days that the electricity has been disconnected. I have been residing here for past several years and never faced such problem. But now we are suddenly receiving electricity bills. As I have already paid around Rs 1 lakh, I am not able to pay the bill for this month. We requested the authorities to install sub-meter at each house, but all our pleas fell on deaf ears," said Raveena, a slum dweller

Meanwhile, on condition of anonymity, a senior officer of Osmania University said, "There are around 11 camps in Osmania University out of which some of the slums are illegally occupied and also presently they are many who are not employed in the campus but have been residing over here. Every month we are receiving an electricity bill of Rs 1 crore, out of which Rs 32 lakh are of the camps only. As the university is not receiving any subsidy from the government, hence we installed a meter in each house. But as the dwellers are not paying the electricity bills, we are forced to cut the supply of power. We have issued a deadline till September 19 for them to clear their bills, failing which electricity will not be restored."