Their premises were burnt down by rampaging mobs in March 2002, in the riots that followed Godhra. All that stands are burnt walls, and holes where electricity meters used to be before the mobs even looted them. However, in a case of super efficiency, Ahmedabad Electrical Corporation (AEC) has been regularly sending the riot victims bills based on ‘‘estimates’’ by its staff, conducted every two months.Standing on the ruins of a once existent bakery and a noodles factory, located at Mohanlalni Chali in Gomtipur, victims hold out bills running up to Rs 74,326 that came to Angoor Foods for the period April to June, and Rs 11,981 to Manohar Bakery for the same period.And they say they are not the only ones at the receiving end. The power bill for Angoor Foods shows total dues of a staggering Rs 2,78,831. In the case of Manohar Bakery, the total dues in the bill issued in June were Rs 37,941.Shamim Ahmed who used to run Angoor Foods says he has approached officials in Amraiwadi, but nothing has been done despite assurances.Murli Ranganathan, Executive Director of AEC, admits the cases are genuine. He adds that according to past records, owners of Angoor Foods were caught for power theft in July 2000. However, he admits that this fact would not come in the way of reversing the post-riot bills. The case of Manohar Bakery, Ranganathan says, is a straight and genuine one and both the bills would be reversed after a spot visit.He also promises that the AEC would conduct a survey of all other riot-affected areas and other bills being issued in this way would be reversed. ‘‘We do not want to charge our consumers for what is not due to us,’’ the Executive Director assures.Asked how bills continued to be sent though there was no power consumption, Ranganathan said staff assigned to read meters might not have gone to the place where these were were installed.
