Letter from Mr Rajiv Kakria

24-12-2011 
To,
The Secretary,
DERC, Viniyamaki Bhawan, C-Block,
Malvya Nagar,
New Delhi.
 
Subject: Thanks to DERC for Awareness Campaign on Meter Installation and Common Neutral ....... but falling short of penalising DISCOMS for will full Unjust Profiteering 

 

Sir, 

I wish to thank DERC for starting an awareness campaign on provisions regarding Safety Hazards/Meter Installation. We have made many written representations and have raised the issue of Fast Running Meters due to Residual Back Flow in Neutral, in various Public Hearings over the past Three years to the Hon'ble Commission.

 

It was a pleasant surprise to see large Ads. in leading Dailies today, explaining the various aspects. This addresses only one part of our request and is at best a partial safeguarding of consumer interest. We have been stating that due to Residual Back Flow in Neutral, consumers are being billed far in excess of power units consumed. DISCOMS have wilfully indulged in Unjust Profiteering and have made millions over the past three years, when Mechanical Meters were forcefully replaced.

 

We had demanded Field Tests and Field Surveys to be conduct by independent Institutes of repute and where ever improper Neutral was provided by Licensee, Punitive Penalties be imposed and consumers be compensated. This awareness campaign aims to encourage consumers towards Self Policing, akin to the lip service to discipline the Notorious Auto Rickshaw Walla who merrily goes about fleecing consumers regardless. In fact both DISCOMS and Auto Wallas shoud be booked under Criminal Provisions.

 

Awareness is no deterrent and there are no experts that the consumer can go to, to get the wiring checked for seperate Neutral upto the Metering Point. A local/ Licensed Electrical Contractor will not check the Electricity Pole if the Neutral of the consumer's meter is connected to the Neutral of another Consumers Meter.

 

The Onus of checking / Rectifying from the pole up to the Metering Point should be that of the Licensee, failing which penalties should be imposed as such over sight earns the Licensee unearned profits.

 

DISCOMS should go from house to house and satisfy each consumer and not on a formal request or complaint, as this should have been a part of the procedure while changing the meters. Consumers have suffered at the hands of the DISCOMS in these times of rising costs and Fast Meters have a greater impact on the honest consumer with Lower Power Usage .... ie a consumer making do with a Fan, ends up paying for the neighbours Air Conditioner's, whereas the DISCOM bills both and profits.

 

Thanking you again and requesting the Hon'ble DERC to look into the matter of Matching the Neutral to the Absolute Earth Potential for Stable Power. Consumers suffer huge losses when their Televisions, Computers, Home Appliances etc. breakdown due to sudden Spikes and Fluctuations. Consumers will also save the money they spend on Stabilizers.

 

Warm Regards,

 

sd/-

 

Rajiv Kakria

Chairman, E-Block, GK-I, RWA.