Consumer forum against PSPCL move to impose Rs1.02 lakh fine on city resident

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 12

The district consumer disputes redressal forum has asked Power State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) not to demand Rs 1,02,560 as electricity consumption charges from a local resident, who has a dispute going on with the Powercom.

Mohinder Pal, a resident of Tehsilpura, had filed a complaint against the PSPCL, accusing it not rectifying the power bill. Mohinder had an electricity connection for domestic use in the name of his deceased father. He said that he had been making payment of the bills from time to time. He complained that the bill dated October 18, 2016, showed that he had to pay Rs 75,550, which was exorbitant as he had the sanctioned load of 1 kilowatt (KW) only.

He said that he approached officials concerned who assured him of rectifying the bill. He said that he received a bill on December 14, 2017, for Rs 1,02,560, showing arrears.

The opposite party stated that in October 2016, a bill of 9705 units for Rs 75,550 was issued to the complainant. It stated that the complainant did not make the payment and challenged the electricity meter for checking in ME Lab and the meter was found working normal. The reply stated that the complainant did not make the payment as a result of which it was added in the month of December 14, 2017.

The forum, however, observed that the opposite party had not produced the ME Lab report to prove that they ever checked the meter. The forum stated that the opposite party had not complied with the rules and regulations while raising the demand of Rs 75,550 in the bill of October 2016 and Rs 1,02,560 in December 2017.

The forum stated that the opposite party couldn’t raise any demand of arrears as well as sundry charges in the current consumption bill without issuing separate detailed notice as per the rules. The forum added that the opposite party was at liberty to raise demand afresh from the complainant by following the proper procedure.