DC pulls up PSEB over apathy
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 3
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr S. K. Sandhu, today took serious note of the apathy of officials of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) towards a consumer. The consumer, Mrs Jasbir Kaur, alleged that the PSEB officials were not entertaining her grievances.

Narrating her case, she said the PSEB officials had found 300 Watt extra load in her factory. She said according to the norms she could only be fined Rs 15, but the PSEB officials fined her Rs 4,490. She deposited the fine on same day as otherwise the power supply would have been disconnected.

Subsequently, she filed a petition with the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking the return of extra fine charged from her with compensation. While the case was in the court the PSEB issued a circular listing specific amount of fine against extra load used by the consumers. Meanwhile, she also got a letter from the Chief Engineer asking her to withdraw the case as the PSEB was prepared to return the extra fine it had charged from her. Accordingly, she withdrew the case in 1999.

Two years have passed and she has made a number of representations to the PSEB officials, but there has been no response. Ultimately she filed her complaint with the Deputy Commissioner. Taking serious note of the callous attitude of the PSEB officials the DC asked a PSEB official, to give an explanation .