Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum Northernregion, Kozhikode. Present

CONSUMER GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL FORUM NORTHERNREGION, KOZHIKODE. (Formed under section 42(5) of Electricity Act 2003.) Vydyuthibhavan, Gandhi Road, Kozhikode -673011 Telephone Number -0495 2367820 [email protected]

PRESENT

BEENA GOPINATH. S : CHAIRPERSON LEKHARANI R : MEMBER ROBIN PETER : MEMBER

OP NO.79/2020-21

PETITIONERS :-

1.Sri. Manikandan. P.V, Haritham, Thanikkatt Paramba, G.A. College – P.O., Kozhikode – 673 014. RESPONDENTS :-

1. Assistant Executive Engineer, Electrical Sub Division, KSEB Ltd, Mankavu, Kozhikode District.

2. Assistant Engineer, Electrical Section, KSEB Ltd., Mankavu, Kozhikode District.

ORDER

Case of the Petitioner:-

The complainant Sri. Manikandan . P.V, Haritham, Thanikkat Paramba, Kozhikode District bearing consumer number 1166368020864 under the jurisdiction of Electrical Section Mankavu complaints that in the bill issued on 13-10-2020, an amount of Rs.13,627/- has been shown as arrears. In normal case, he used to pay around Rs. 1500/- towards bimonthly current charges. So he approached the section office seeking clarification. The explanation received was that the arrear pertains to the current charges for the consumption already recorded in the meter. It was also forced from the section office to make the payment without fail. He assured that he has no awareness about such a hike in usage, and also mourns that he is not in a situation to remit such a huge amount. He has approached the Forum for a favorable resolution to this problem.

Version by the respondent:-

The service connection bearing consumer number 1166368020864 is a single phase domestic connection under the jurisdiction of Electrical Section Mankavu registered in the name of Sri. Manikandan .P.V. The complaint of the petitioner is about the bill received in the month of August 2020. The details of bimonthly bills for the last 10 months are furnished below in this regard.

Sl.No. Billing period Consumption(units) Bill amount (Rs.) 1 11-12-2019 -11-02-2020 166 609

2 11-02-2020-20-04-2020 182 684 3 20-04-2020-11-06-2020 410 2277 4 11-06-2020-10-08-2020 1551 13638 5 10-08-2020-13-10-2020 137 505

It can be noticed that the consumption during the period 11-06-2020 – 10-08-2020 is comparatively high with respect to previous months. On enquiring the reason for the hike in consumption, it came to know that the main switch of the petitioner was damaged and as so electricity had been leaked to earth which was recorded in the meter. The main switch was replaced immediately by the consumer and the problem was solved. The consumption for the next billing cycle was noticed as normal. It is due to the fault of the equipment installed by the consumer that the electricity was leaked to earth. Hence the consumer is bound to pay the bill amount pertaining to the consumption due to earth leakage.

Discussion, analysis and findings:-

The hearing of the case was conducted on 10/12/2020. Both the petitioner and the respondent attended hearing. Having considered all the documents submitted and deliberations during the hearing, the Forum has come to the following conclusions leading to the decision:-

As per the petitioner the electricity bill issued for the bi month 08/2020 is exorbitantly high. The request of the petitioner is to exempt him from paying such a huge bill as that much energy is not consumed by him. 3

As per the respondent, while taking the reading for the bi month 08/2020, the recorded consumption was noted as 1551 units and bill amounting to Rs. 13,638/- was issued to the consumer based on the recorded energy. On enquiry it is revealed that the consumer’s main switch was defective which he replaced later. As such the energy recorded for the next bi month was 137 units which is the usual consumption of the petitioner.

On going through the case details the following facts are revealed. The respondent has taken regular monthly reading for the period from 11/06/2020 to 10/08/2020 and the consumption is noted as 1551 units. The normal consumption for the previous six months comes around 250 units.

Regulation 110(9) of Kerala Electricity Supply Code 2014 is reproduced as here under which is applicable here.

The employee of the licensee or the person duly authorized for the licensee for reading the meter shall also inform the concerned officials of the licensee about the leakage.

Even though the regulation sheds light into the steps to be taken on detecting/suspending earth leakage in a consumer premises, in this case respondent has not inspected the site or prepared any site mahazar. Instead of that it is reported the excess consumption might be due to earth leakage.

It is pertinent to note that there is no material to show that the respondent had conducted any detailed checking of the installation to identify the defective equipment. 4

There is no clarity in the matter as to whether the leakage is occurred in the consumer’s installation. In this background, the issuance of excess bill merely on the assumption that leakage happened due to poor quality of material used in consumer’s premises is not sustainable.

In the above circumstances there is no justification for issuing such a huge bill to the petitioner. Hence the disputed bill is hereby quashed. The respondent is directed to issue revised bill based on average consumption of three previous billing cycles of the disputed bill.

DECISION:-

1. The petition is allowed.

2. The bill issued for Rs.13,627/- on 13/10/2020 is quashed. The bill

shall be revised based on average consumption of previous 3 bills

of disputed bill.

Dated this the 31st day of December, 2020. Sd/- Sd/- Sd/- Robin Peter R.Lekha Rani Beena Gopinath.S Member Member Chairperson. Endt.on CGRF-NR/OP 79/2020-21/271 / 31.12.2020. Forwarded to: 1) Sri. Manikandan. P.V, If the petitioner is not satisfied with the above order of this Haritham, Forum, he is at liberty to prefer appeal before the State Thanikkatt Paramba, Electricity Ombudsman, Charangattu Bhavan Building No. G.A. College – P.O.,, Mamangalam- Anchumana Road, Edappally, Cochin – Kozhikode – 673 014. 682024 (Ph: 0484 2346488) within 30 days from date of receipt of this order. 2) The Assistant Executive Engineer, Electrical Sub Division, KSEB Ltd, Mankavu Kozhikode District.

Copy submitted to:- Chief Engineer (Distribution – North ), Kozhikode Copy to:

1. The Secretary,KSEB Ltd., Vydyuthibhavanam, Thiruvananthapuram.

2. Deputy Chief Engineer, Electrical Circle, Kozhikode, Kozhikode District. 3. The Executive Engineer, Electrical Division, Feroke, KSEB Ltd, Kozhikode District Forwarded 4. The Assistant Engineer, Electrical Section, Mankavu, Sd/- KSEB Ltd, Kozhikode District. Chairperson.