State needs effective billing system: UERC

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 29

Subhash Kumar, Chairman, Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (UERC), has said 70 per cent of the complaints are related to metering and billing issues of Uttarakhand Power Corporation limited (UPCL). In more than 75 per cent complaints, consumers grievances redressal forums (CGRFs) have given decisions in favour of consumers indicating that the services provided by the UPCL to consumers with respect to metering and billing are not proper and needs to be improved.

Subhash at a meeting with members of forums inquired about the number of complaints received, and disposed of by the forums in the last five years. The forums had received 2,023 complaints in the last four years, out of which 1,599 complaints were disposed of. Of the total complaints, 1,209 were disposed of in favour of the consumers, which is around 76 per cent of the complaints.

The members of the forum apprised Subhash that miscellaneous complaints were about non-compliance of regulations and orders regarding metering and billing. Therefore, 70 per cent of the complaints were related to either wrong billing or defective or burnt meter.

The chairman took cognisance of the Electricity Ombudsman’s Report on the disposal of cases. In the last four years, the ombudsman had disposed of 118 cases, rejected 81 appeals. Hence, the ombudsman had upheld 70 per cent of the forum orders.

Subhash also took notice of the fact that the number of complaints pending with the forums was falling every year indicating that the forums were conducting their proceedings promptly and ensuring disposal in time frame.

Subhash was told that till date the consumer forums had awarded a compensation of Rs 5.03 lakh to consumers in different cases. The consumer grievance redressal forums have been constituted in Uttarakhand under Section 42(5) of the Electricity Act, 2003. At present, there are one forum each in Garhwal and Kumaon zones.

Neeraj Sati, UERC Secretary, Prabhat Dimri, Director (Technical), and members of the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum attended the meeting.