Ludhiana, June 25
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) to pay Rs 3,000 on account of compensation for deficient services along with Rs 500 as cost of litigation to Ms Ranjit Kaur, a resident of Nirmal Nagar, Dugri. The forum has further directed the PSEB to restore the connection of the consumer within 10 days of receipt of the order.
According to the complaint, the consumer had received a bill on January 25, 2000, in which Rs 15,762 was included on account of arrears. The representative of the consumer, Mr S.S. Sarna, stated that the consumer had protested against the said demand as she had been making the regular payment of the bills, but the PSEB officials refused to withdraw the demand.
Mr Sarna disclosed that when the consumer did not make the payment of the amount, the respondent disconnected her electricity connection in the first week of February, 2000. He further disclosed that the complainant had given an application on February 26, 2000, to the PSEB that when the actual reading for the said bill was 2212, while the respondent had mentioned it as 7067 in the bill. After that a JE was deputed and he reported that the reading was only 2212, but instead of doing the needful, the electricity meter was removed in April, 2000, in the absence of the consumer, Mr Sarna added.
Mr Sarna stated that the complainant was not invited to the ME Laboratory so that she or her representative could remain present at the time of checking of the meter. He further stated that the consumer gave another application on August 7, 2000, to correct the bill, but to no avail. It was pointed out that despite the fact the JE inspected the meter again and reported that the reading was 2212, the PSEB refused to issue the correct bill.
It was demanded from the forum, to quash all the bills including the arrears which had been issued on average basis and to direct the PSEB, to issue the bills as per actual consumption.
The PSEB pleaded that reading of the meter on October 24, 1999, was 6609 whereas the previous reading was 1081, therefore the bill for consumption of 5528 units of Rs 14,410, was issued after adding the surcharge for Rs 15,762. The respondent maintained that the bill was not paid. It was admitted that in March, 2001, the reading as corrected in the ledger as 2212. It was further admitted that the refund of Rs 14,961 was given to the consumer being the excess amount charged due to the wrong reading and the consumer was required to pay Rs 2,778 which the consumer never paid.
The PSEB maintained that the meter installed on the premises of the consumer was removed on April 24, 2000. The respondent clarified that there was no deficiency in service on its part and the consumer was not entitled to any relief.
The forum observed that the respondent in its reply admitted that after rechecking of the meter, it was found the reading of the meter was 2212 units and as such the refund of Rs 14,968 was given. The forum further observed that the according to the aforesaid statement of the respondent, the demand of Rs 15,762 was wrongly raised.
The forum stated that after refund of the said amount, only Rs 2,778 was recoverable from the consumer and as per the statement of bank account produced by the consumer, the said payment had been made through cheque.
The forum held that the demand of Rs 15,762 was wrongly raised and the amount due was much less. The forum said that had the PSEB raised the right demand the consumer would have made the payment. The forum further said that due to raising wrong demand, the consumer suffered a lot and as such compensation and cost of litigation were to be awarded.
