BEFORE THE VIDYUT OMBUDSMAN
Present
K.Rajagopala Reddy, Director (Law) and
Vidyut Ombudsman
Dated: 20-05-2008
Sri Kola Prakasam
S/o. Venkanna
Pandalaparru (Post),
Nidadavolu (Mandal),
W.G.Dist – 534 303. … Appellant
1. The Assistant Engineer/ Operation /
Rural / Nidadavole /W.G.Dist
2.
The Assistant
Divisional Engineer / Operation / Nidadavole /W.G.Dist
3.
The Assistant
Accounts Officer / ERO / Nidadavole /W.G.Dist
4.
The Divisional
Electrical Engineer / Operation / Nidadavole /W.G.Dist
… Respondents
The
appeal / representation received on 11.03.2008 on behalf of the appellant has
come up for final hearing before the Vidyut Ombudsman on 13.05.2008 at Eluru. The
appellant is not present. There is no
representation on behalf of the appellant. Respondent Nos. 1 to 3 are present
and having stood over for consideration till this day, the Vidyut Ombudsman
passed / issued the following:
Aggrieved by the order passed by the Forum for Redressal of
Consumer Grievances of APEPDCL (for short the “Forum”) in C.G. No. 281 / 2007
of West Godavari District dated 12.02.2008, an appeal / representation filed on
behalf of the appellant received in the office of Vidyut Ombudsman on
11.03.2008 mentioned supra.
2. The appellant is the complainant and he filed a representation before the Forum below on 25.01.2008 for redressal of his grievances relating to dispute in restoration of power supply.
3. The case of the complainant is that he has got service No.701 for the last 10 years. He used to receive most of the bills for minimum charges. But he received a bill for Rs.4129/- in the month of October in the last year. On his request the bill was revised to Rs.2796/-. But the complainant is unable to pay even the said amount. Ultimately, his service was disconnected. Hence, the power supply to his service may be restored.
4. The Forum below called for the written submissions from the respondents on the said complaint.
5. The respondent No.1 gave a reply stating that on 19.10.2007 the CC bill for the service connection of the complainant was issued for 971 units for Rs.4129/-. Thereafter, on representation of the complainant a proposal was sent to E.R.O for revision of CC bill. Then the bill was revised for Rs.2796/- and the same was intimated to the consumer. Due to non-payment of CC charges of Rs.2796/-, the service was disconnected on 23.11.2007 with reading 4262.
6. After taking into consideration of the case of the complainant and written submissions of respondent No.1 the Forum below passed an order stating that the CC bill was issued on the accumulated reading in the meter as the spot biller issued minimum bills duly suppressing the consumption. However on the request of the consumer the bill was revised by taking average for six billing cycles. Due to non-payment of CC charges the service was disconnected on 23.11.2007. The Forum below levied penalty of Rs.100/- on the spot-billing agency since the inconvenience caused to the consumer is due to the incorrect billing by the spot billing agency.
7. During the course of hearing the matter, the respondents have stated that the consumer paid half of the due amount and the service was restored on 25.03.2008. Even there is no representation on behalf of the appellant / complainant at the time of hearing. Since the consumer has not paid the amount due, the service was disconnected earlier. Subsequently after payment of half of the amount due, the service of the appellant is restored. Under the above circumstances, the Vidyut Ombudsman is of the view that there is no infirmity in the order passed by the Forum below and the same is to be confirmed.
8. In the result, there is no merit in the appeal / representation of the appellant and the same is dismissed confirming the order passed by the Forum below in C.G.No.281/2007 of West Godavari District on 12.02.2008.