Resolve plaint on meter rent, forum to Electricity Dept

The Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum (CGRF) has directed the UT Engineering Department to redress the complaint filed by the Indian Citizens’ Forum within seven days. In case the complaint is not redressed, the CGRF has directed the department to file a para wise reply/objection with the forum within 15 days.

The forum lodged a complaint with the CGRF against charging of meter rent by the UT Electricity Department despite directions of the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC). It demanded refund of wrongly charged rental amount from consumers in the city and to stop further charging in future bills as per tariff orders dated March 30, 2023, for 2023-24 and July 25 for 2024-25. The JERC had abolished meter rents from April, 2023, onwards.

Forum president SK Nayar said that a few consumers had approached them to take up the issue with the authorities concerned as they had already submitted their individual complaint to the subdivision concerned as well for the refund of wrongly charged rental amount and to stop charging in future bills.

Forum secretary Narinder Sharma said that they had taken up the matter with the authorities for resolving their complaints, but it was not done. Hence, a complaint was filed with the CGRF in the interest of consumers. The forum demanded stopping of meter rents from all consumers with immediate effect and refund of wrongly recovered amount with interest to all such consumers.