Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has warned the private power distribution companies to perform up to the expectations of the consumers or else her government would be forced to take any action it deemed fit.
During a meeting with residents’ welfare association over the weekend on the issue of inflated power bills, she was told that consumers were unable to digest the high amounts reflected in their bills as it was not as per the consumption trend recorded in their earlier bills.
At a high-level meeting later, which was attended by Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) chairman, Public Grievances Committee chairman, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, State Power Secretary and the Chief Executive Officers of the discoms, Ms. Dikshit expressed displeasure over the performance of the discoms, particularly BSES.
Mr. Dikshit directed BSES to extend time till this month end to consumers to pay their bills raised in August. She also told BSES not to penalise or harass consumers who were not paying their bills on the presumption that they are inflated. She also asked the discoms to ensure responsiveness of their customer care centres.
Directing BSES to handle this situation in a prompt and humane manner, the Chief Minister she asked DERC to efficiently safeguard the interests of consumers to ensure their utmost satisfaction.
DERC chairman, Berjinder Singh, told the Chief Minister that a committee would be constituted to check all power-related data and billing software of the discoms within a month. The committee would submit its report with suggestions within 15 days. He also informed that the Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) of the Union Information Technology Ministry was being engaged to check the billing software and other related IT software of the discoms.
The PGC chairman, Justice R. C. Chopra, informed that complaints of inflated bills were increasing by the day. He also underlined the importance of redress of grievances in the shortest possible time.
