The Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd (JBVNL) is likely to incur a loss of Rs 15 crore revenue in the discom’s Singhbhum electricity supply area as a result of the Covid-19 imposed lockdown.

Most of over 200 Urja Mitras have stopped meter reading and power bill raising in the Chaibasa circle, after a casework launched in protest against not getting their salaries for April and May.

There are about 2.88 lakh domestic consumers in the Chaibasa circle under the Singhbhum electricity supply area, from where about Rs 7.5 crore revenue is generated every month.

The meter reading and bill raising work could not be done in April and May as the Urja Mitra, the contractual staff working under a private agency of the discom, were supposed to maintain social-distancing during the lockdown.

Hence, Quess Corporation, held up their monthly salaries for the two months.

As the Urja Mitras get Rs 6,000 a month as salary, they have been hard-hit over the past two months. As there was no sign of getting the pending salaries a week into June, the majority of the staff stopped work since Sunday.

“We had not stopped work on our own. We were asked to stop in view of the coronavirus pandemic. If the power bill could not be raised in the two months, should we be held responsible?” asked one of the Urja Mitras.

“We have to cover a long way to the houses for meter reading and bill raising, but as most of us have not even a penny, we stopped working. Unless the agency pays us our dues, we will not resume work,” the protestor said.

While bill collection has completely stopped in Chakradharpur sub-divisional area, only some work is under way in the Chaibasa, Seraikela and Chandil sub-divisional areas, all falling under the Chaibasa circle.

In Seraikela sub-division, where 5,400 bills are raised every day, only 78 bills were raised on Monday by a skeleton staff who have not joined the protest.

The general manager, JBVNL’s Singhbhum electricity supply area, Arvind Kumar, expressed his ignorance of any such protest by the Urja Mitra.

“No Urja Mitra or any other staff of the private agency have come forward to meet us over this issue. As the work is related to the revenue collection of the JBVNL, such strike or suspension of work cannot be tolerated,” said Kumar. He said he would look into the matter.

The manager, Quess Corporation branch, Ranjit Kumar, said, “The meter reading and bill raising were not done in the month of April and May due to the lockdown. When they have not done their part of their duty during these two months, how can we pay them the salaries?” he asked.