Agartala, April 07, 2025: In a heartfelt plea, 90 families residing beyond Gate No. 98 of the Tripura’s Motinagar border under Sepahijala district came together on Monday afternoon calling on the Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha to intervene and prevent the disconnection of their electricity supply. The residents, many of whom are Below Poverty Line (BPL) cardholders held placards bearing their names and electricity consumer numbers, asserting that they are legal Indian citizens and have been paying their electricity bills regularly.
“We are helpless. We are Indian citizens living legally on Indian soil at the border. Why should our electricity be cut off?” questioned one resident, speaking on behalf of the group. “We humbly request the Chief Minister of the state to protect us,” he added.
The controversy stems from a statement made during the recently concluded assembly session, where the Chief Minister reportedly addressed the issue. He stated that among the 90 families, only 15 have been paying their electricity bills and the rest have been consuming electricity illegally. Based on this, he announced that only the paying consumers would continue to receive power, while the rest would face disconnection.
However, residents have contested this claim, saying the information provided to the Chief Minister may have been incorrect. “We, 50 families, have been regularly paying our electricity bills. We are legal consumers. We believe the data shared with the Chief Minister is misleading,” said another resident.
Demanding justice, the families urged the state government to conduct an impartial investigation. “We welcome any probe. We are not against the disconnection of illegal users, but why should those of us who are paying be punished?” they asked.
The villagers also pointed out that due to the electrification infrastructure along the border—provided through secure cable lines—illegal use of electricity is not feasible. “It is practically impossible for anyone here to use electricity illegally. Every household is connected legally, and we have documents and bills to prove it,” a local explained.
The situation took a dramatic turn on March 27 when, during the holy month of Ramadan, officials from the Sekerkote Electricity Department along with personnel from Amtali Police Station and Rayermura BSF arrived without any prior notice and attempted to disconnect the electricity to all 90 families. The abrupt move angered the local population and drew widespread condemnation.
Leaders from across the political spectrum, including the Leader of the Opposition, state MLAs and Pradesh Congress leaders visited the affected area soon after the incident. They expressed solidarity with the residents and labeled the action as “inhuman.”
In their united appeal, the residents urged the Chief Minister to recognize their plight. “We are poor, but we are not illegal. Our only demand is that the electricity connections of the 50 paying families be preserved. We request the Chief Minister to kindly look into this matter personally,” they said.
