Residents alleged that officials from the electricity department disconnected their connection.Massive public outrage has erupted in Phase 11 and adjoining areas of Mohali after residents of low income groups houses — mostly one- and two-room units — received exorbitant electricity bills of up to as high as Rs 9 lakh.Among the affected is Kailash Kaur, a cancer patient, who received a bill of Rs 149,090. Her son, Mandeep Singh, who works as a private driver, said, “There are only two of us in the house, and a major portion of our income goes towards my mother’s cancer treatment. These bills have pushed us into distress”. He also alleged that officials from the electricity department disconnected their connection.Similarly, Natthu Ram from Amb Sahib Colony, who lives in a two-room house with five family members, received a bill of Rs 8,88,330. He claimed that his electricity connection was also cut off. “Our meter has been removed, while those running illegal ‘kundi’ connections by paying Rs 500 are enjoying uninterrupted electricity,” he said.Other residents, including Paramjit Kaur — who received a bill of Rs 60,000 — and Kamaljit Kaur, also reported inflated bills and repeated visits to electricity offices without any resolution.Kamaljit Kaur said that despite depositing amounts of Rs 15,000, Rs 10,000, and Rs 5,000 in instalments, “no one is explaining why such high bills have been issued”. She added that after approaching several officials, her issue was eventually resolved after intervention at Balbir Singh Sidhu’s office, where her connection was restored through a meter, though pending dues remain.Addressing the issue, senior Congress leader and former Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu held a press conference, where he stated that around 25–30 complaints from Phase 11 have already been formally recorded at his office.“The policies of the Punjab government have pushed common people into a severe financial crisis. This is not just a mistake but a well-planned loot,” he said. The Congress leader accused the authorities of deliberately withholding electricity bills for 4–5 months and then issuing inflated amounts at once.Story continues below this ad“This is not a ‘zero bill’ scheme but a ‘hero to zero’ failure of the government,” he said.Sidhu further claimed that in several cases, electricity meters are being removed without valid reasons, calling it a reflection of “authoritarian and high-handed governance.”He warned, “if these illegal bills are not immediately withdrawn and relief is not provided, the Congress will take to the streets and launch large-scale protests”.In response to the issue, when XEN Amandeep Singh was contacted, he denied any large-scale billing error.Story continues below this ad“There is no such matter in our knowledge that mass billing has gone wrong. These could be rare cases where a meter may have malfunctioned or there could have been an error in the reading.”“Whenever any such bill comes to our notice, it is corrected by the department. Therefore, if anyone is facing such a problem, they should contact the office and get it rectified,” the official added.