KOPPAL (Karnataka): Girijamma, a 90-year-old woman living in a tiny shed at Bhagyanagar in Koppal city, got the shock of her life when she got an electricity bill of Rs 1 lakh.

The aged woman used to pay Rs 70 to Rs 80 every month as power tariff.

Girijamma, struggling to earn her livelihood, was in tears and made an appeal to the media to bail her out of the situation.

After the media raised the question to the Minister for Power, KJ George on Thursday, he said, "She got the bill that mentioned the wrong amount due to a glitch in the metre. She need not pay the bill."

Following the statement of the minister, the staff of Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (Gescom) rushed to her shed.

The executive engineer, Rajesh inspected the power meter and maintained that it was a technical glitch. The inflated bill was generated because of the error of the staff and bill collector. He informed the woman that she need not pay the bill. The relieved old woman joined both her hands and thanked the officer and media.

The incident resulted in public outrage as the people across the state are unhappy about the hiked tariff rates and inflated bills.

The Congress government, which promised 200 units of free power for all households under the Griha Laxmi scheme, has been making all efforts to subdue the bitter feelings. The industrial bodies have also given a bandh call to protest against the increase in power tariff.