DISCOM MOVES DERC AGAINST PENALTY ON POWER OUTAGES

NEW DELHI: Power distribution company, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, has filed a detailed petition in the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), highlighting practical and technical hurdles in implementing penalty on unscheduled outages.

A DERC notification in June stated that the discoms will have to compensate consumers for unscheduled power cuts, with penalties ranging from `25 to `100 per hour. Delhi LieutenantGovernor Najeeb Jung is yet to approve the notification.

The DERC had issued the order following directions from the Delhi government. The discom said the Delhi government’s orders are not binding on the power regulator.

The Delhi High Court had recently quashed the directions of the government where prior approval of the L-G was not taken before issuing them. However, a senior government official said the high court verdict will have no effect on the notification issued by the DERC, which the TPDDL has challenged.

“The high court cancelled only the directions issued by the government to the DERC under Section 108 of the Electricity Act. But the DERC on its own can issue notifications which it has and also placed it in the Assembly,” the official said.

Under the notification, the discoms – BSES Rajdhani, BSES Yamuna and Tata Power – have given a time frame within which a particular outage has to be fixed, failing which penalties will be imposed.

The default period shall be considered from the time the first someone registers a complaint till the supply is restored. In its petition, the TPDDL has said the proposals were not possible to adhere to.

The high court cancelled only the directions issued by the government to the DERC under Section 108 of the Electricity Act. But the DERC on its own can issue notifications which it has and also placed it in the Assembly.

A SENIOR OFFICIAL, Delhi government

With thanks : Hindustan Times

Dengue and Chikungunya: Symptoms and Dos and Don'ts : Times of India

NEW DELHI: Every monsoon, there is an increase in the number of people infected bydengue and chikungunya. Both are viral diseases transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. While a number of the symptomsassociated with the two diseases are similar, there exist some key differences.

Here are some key facts to keep in mind about the symptoms of dengue and chikungunya, and the preventive measures that can be taken to avoid infections.

DENGUE -SYMPTOMS

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the primary symptom of dengue is high fever, which occurs with at least two of the following symptoms: severe headache, severe eye pain, joint, muscle or bone pain, rash, mild bleeding from the nose or the gums, small spots caused by bleeding into the skin, and low white cell count.

The CDC advises that medical help be sought immediately if one of the following warning signs manifest themselves as the fever declines 3 to 7 days after the first symptoms appear: severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, red spots or patches on the skin, nasal bleeding, bleeding from the gums, vomiting blood, black, tarry stool, drowsiness, irritability, breathing trouble or pale, cold or clammy skin.

Severe dengue can entail plasma leakage leading to shock, hemorrhage (internal bleeding), and organ impairment. At this stage, the disease is potentially fatal.

CHIKUNGNYA - SYMPTOMS

Chikunguniya symptoms include high fever, severe joint pain, joint swellings, muscle pain, head-aches and rashes. It is mostly non-fatal.

DOs

1) Get plenty of rest, and consume fluids to avoid dehydration if you have the disease.

2) Get tested immediately if any of the symptoms above manifest themselves. If you have a high-grade fever for more than twenty four hours, go see a doctor.

3) Use mosquito nets and wear long sleeves and pants to avoid being bitten.

4) Keep your surroundings clean, and dispose of waste regularly.

DON'Ts

1) Aedes mosquitoes - which transmit both dengue and chikungunya - breed in clean water. So don't leave water in containers, coolers, flower pots and other such recipients exposed to the air. Don't let water stagnate anywhere in or near your home.

2) If you are using mosquito repellents, don't use them on children below two months of age. For children older than two months, use insect repellents containing 10% DEET.

3) Don't apply mosquito repellent on your palms, or near your eyes or mouth. ALWAYS read instructions before using repellents, especially those pertaining to infants, pregnant women, and breast-feeding mothers.

4) Mosquitos are attracted to dark colours, so avoid wearing dark-coloured clothes.

5) Don't wear tight clothes, for mosquitoes find it easier to bite through tight-fitting garments.

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With thanks : Times of India

'TERI' meet on segregation of Solid Waste in Delhi !

Follow Fees rule or surrender land : HC to pvt schools : Hindustan Times

Sh S L Watwani ji - A Real Karmyogi !

Happy Independence Day !

Happy Independence Day - 70 years of Independence. 
With all the best wishes for your bright future. 
B S Vohra

Baba Mange Azadi - AAJTAK - B S Vohra

Happy Independence Day - 15th August, 1947 - Hindustan Times !

pic used with thanks to Hindustan Times

Happy Independence Day - 15th August, 1947 - Hindustan !

pic used with thanks to Hindustan

Happy Independence Day - 15th August, 1947 - Times of India !

Pics used with thanks to Times of India.

DERC Amendment - Must be looked into !

It was about the SLD charges as approved & amended by DERC  - please refer the guidelines for Publication in the Delhi Gazette Extraordinary Part - 111. 

Point number 2 of the amendment says : 

(2) If the computed revised load pursuant to Regulation 23A (1)exceeds the sanctioned load or contract demand as the case may be, the Licensee shall issue a separate notice to the consumer about the proposed increase in sanctioned load or contract demand. The notice shall contain the details of the exact readings in the consecutive billing cycle(s) taken into consideration along with details of enhanced security deposit and the differential Service Line cum Development (SLD) charges, if any, for such increase in sanctioned load or the contract demand, as the case may be, in accordance with Electricity Act, 2003 to be deposited by the consumer within 30 days from the date of receipt of notice. If the consumer fails to do so, the additional amount may be included in the next bill, indicating the reasons for such inclusion in the bill.

Whereas, Point number 6 of the amendment says : 

(6) Service line cum development (SLD) charges shall not be refundable in case of load reduction or termination of agreement. 

My very simple question was :

If in one season (year), a consumer gets automatic load reduction, he will not be paid back anything out of the Service line cum development charges (SLD), as these are not refundable in case of load reduction. But in the next season (year), if his load exceeds again, will he be charged again for the differential Service line cum development charges for the increase of load   ?  If yes, don't you think, the consumers will feel cheated ?

  

We got no reply to our ordinary mail, from DERC even after TWO MONTHS and the reply that we got from DERC against our RTI says : "only such information is required to be supplied under the act which already exists and is held by the public authority or held under the control of the public authority. The CPIO is not supposed to create informatiom, or to interpret information, or to solve the problems raised by the applicants, or to replies to hypothetical questions". 

Amount or money involved is not my issue. I am just talking about the technicalities. While DERC has not yet replied ( even after two months ), to our ordinary mail, with the same question, do you think, they can skip the reply, on flimsy grounds, under the RTI ? 

Best regards,

B S Vohra