"Due to long power cuts a discontent is brewing among people. The government should waive off the electricity bills for those areas where electricity is snapped for more than one month," state secretary of CPI(M) M Y Tarigami said in a statement here.
He said the government should strengthen men and machinery and ensure that damaged transformers are timely repaired so that consumers don't suffer on account of electricity.
"Why should our students, aged and other consumers suffer for months together after a transformer is damaged and why should the consumers be charged when they are deprived of the electricity for weeks together?" he asked.
He said it was the department's responsibility to check overloading and misuse of power rather than taking refuge under these pretences.
"The government has absolutely no justification in depriving its own people from this vital basic facility especially in the wake of hike in the tariff slabs," he said and called for improving LT and HT network and replacement of old and worn out wires and poles.