Electricity regulatory body assures ‘relief’ for victims

“The Commission will then study the response and accordingly bring in measures to provide relief to consumers who have suffered due to this problem.”

The power distribution company (discom) has admitted that the problem was a result of a software glitch but claims its bills were justified even then. “BSES said since these 60,000 consumers received a bill of significantly lesser amount in May,the increased August bill merely covers up for the sum that consumers ought to have been charged in May,” the official said.

These 60,000 consumers have a three-phase connection; they receive monthly bills. Consumers on a bi-monthly billing cycle have also complained about bills being at least 50 per cent higher — and allegedly more in some cases.

DERC is investigating the issue.

One such consumer on a monthly billing cycle is Nanki Awatramani,75. A resident of B-2 block in Safdarjung Enclave,the retired assistant income tax commissioner says her average bills varied between Rs 6,000 and Rs 7,000 per month. Before she got the shock in August,when she was issued a bill of Rs 23,000. “I have written about this to everyone,including the Chief Minister,the Lieutenant-Governor,the public grievances cell,the DERC and BSES,” she said.

But the issue,she said,is “far from being resolved — BSES’s responses are frustrating and they keep insisting that the amount billed to me in August is correct.”

Awatramani said,“It would be appreciated if the regulator brings in some measure of relief for consumers like me. We will wait and see what happens.”