Ludhiana, Aug. 6 -- Residents visiting the PSPCL Aggar Nagar division for new electricity meter connections or replacement of faulty and burnt meters have been left to fend for themselves for months, due to a shortage of technical staff. The situation further deteriorated after two staffers were suspended on July 28 in connection with an illegal meter installation scam, officials familiar with the matter said.

Notably, the division, which earlier handled nearly 50 meter-related applications a day, came to a complete halt since Thursday. Despite more than a week having passed, the power department has neither appointed new staff nor handed over temporary charge to anyone, leaving applicants in limbo, officials said.

A senior official in ...