DHBVN slaps notices on 25 societies for flouting norms

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, September 13

The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has served notices to 25 builders and resident welfare associations (RWAs) in New Gurugram for allegedly overcharging residents for power tariff. The authority claimed that the builders were flouting unified billing policy norms and charging Rs 10 per unit instead of Rs 6 per unit from residents.

Builders, RWAs told to resolve issue

It has been found that residents are being overcharged. Builders and RWAs claimed that they were doing so for electrical maintenance, but that cannot be made part of regular elelctricity bills. They have been told to resolve the issue or face action.

A Senior DHBVN official

A warning has been issued following which they will be penalised, said the authority. According to officials, notices have been issued to Sector 111 Lotus homes, Puri Diplomatic Enclave, Sector 110 Mahindra Aura, Sector 112 Winchant , Sector 109 Chintel Paradise, ATM Trumlines Sector 109, Sector 108 Shobha City, Sector 106 Paras Dev, Sector 103 Landmark, Sector 103 JMK Holding Private Ltd, Sector 103 The Heritage, Sector 107 Celedra Signature, Sector 104 Zara Avaas.

These societies are maintained by the builder or RWA and have nearly 20,000 residents. It was Sector 109 Brisk Lumbigni residents who had moved to CM window alleging overcharging by builder.

The complainant claimed that residents were receiving any any rebate or benefit offered by the DHBVN. Moreover, they are forced to pay bills as per rates set by builders and RWAs.

“Residents have taken DHBVN connections and are getting the bills as per norms. However, it has been found out that residents are being overcharged. Builders and RWAs claimed that they were doing so for electrical maintenance, but that cannot be made part of regular elelctricity bills. They have been told to resolve the issue or face action,” said a senior DHBVN official.

Almost a year after its launch, the unified billing system for single-point connections to keep a check on overcharging for electricity in the city has few takers. The sytem aiming to check overcharging for electricity has only around 50 societies on board as compared to over 300 in city.

The unified billing system was to ensure that the end user pays a separate bill for actual power consumption as per the stipulated tariff, preventing the developer or RWA from overcharging residents for electricity in the name of power backup and common area maintenance.

The DHBVN rolled out the unified billing system in September last year after receiving repeated complaints from residents that bills raised by the builder or RWAs are not following the standard tariff of DHBVN, as a result of which they aren’t able to get the benefit of differential slab tariff.

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