The Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana State (TSSPDCL) continues to collect thrice the normal tariff from consumers who have failed to submit occupancy certificates, in violation of not only High Court order, but also the Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (TSERC) explicit directions against it.
The latest statistics of tariff collection details reveal that the company has collected over Rs. 40 lakh by way of penalty billing in the month of April, which goes contrary to the TSERC’s directions issued in December, 2014.
The amount has nevertheless come down from nearly Rs. 1 crore collected two months ago from consumers across the categories. Only after the issue was raised at the recently held TSERC public hearing, has the discom begun to refrain from such collections from domestic category consumers. The commercial category continues to be levied, inform sources.
The discom had begun to charge the consumers thrice the normal tariff, in accordance with the revised common building rules of 2012, which stipulated against granting power, water and sewerage connections to those who do not produce occupancy certificates from local bodies. However, a relaxation in the same provided for collection of three times the normal tariff till the certificate is submitted.
Conveniently ignoring the first suggestion, the discom has immediately latched on to the latter for charging higher tariff. Given a go-by was the provision of the Electricity Act, 2003 that all the tariff changes should be subject to regulatory commission’s approval.
The billing was duly challenged in the High Court, and a judgement was delivered last November terming the tariff illegal and requiring changes in the company’s general terms and conditions besides TSERC’s approval.
Further, the TSERC had, in reply to a query by the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum, directed the discom in no ambiguous terms, to comply with the court direction, and apply it universally across categories. Non-compliance by the company was pointed out at the recent TSERC public hearing, upon which CMD of TSSPDCL G.Raghuma Reddy promised to stop such collection forthwith.
The discom has, nevertheless, implemented the direction only by half, applying it only to domestic consumers, and charging the commercial category as before.
“For the company, complying with the directions would mean that the excess amount already collected is to be paid back to the consumer,” says an official requesting anonymity. The total amount could range between Rs.25 crore and 30 crore at conservative estimates, he says. CMD of TSSPDCL G.Raghuma Reddy has not responded to calls to seek clarification.
