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CONSUMER GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL FORUM CENTRAL REGION (Formed under Section 42(5) of the Electricity Act 2003) 220 kV Substation Compound, HMTColony P.O. Kalamasery, Pin – 683 503 Phone No. 0484-2556500 Website : cgrf.kseb.in, Email : [email protected], CUG No. 9496008719

Present (1) Smt. Jalaja. T Chairperson (2) Smt Mary Jose Member (3) Shri. Jefrin Manuel Member

Petitioner Sri. C.K. Thomas, Chooralvettathu House, Venmony P.O., Taluk, Dist., Pin – 689 509.

Respondent 1) The Asst. Exe. Engineer, Electrical Sub Division,

2) The Assistant Engineer, Electrical Section, Venmony ======No.CGRF-CR/OP No. 132/2017-18 Date 26/6/2018

O R D E R Background of the case:

The Petitioner, Sri.C.K.Thomas is a domestic consumer under the jurisdiction of Electrical Section, Venmony having consumer no. 6838. He received a short assessment bill dtd 03.08.2017for Rs.1927/- to correct the mistake in the average calculated during the meter faulty period. The petitioner contended that the average recalculated by the respondent is wrong. It was recalculated on the basis of the consumption from 01/2014 to 05/2014 and the average was recalculated as 242 units. Aggrieved by this, the petitioner approached the concerned Asst. Engineer and Asst. Exe. Engineer for the redressel of his grievance. But no positive reply was received from the respondent. Hence the petitioner approached the Forum for relief.

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Subsequently, statement of facts was called for and the same was submitted by the respondent on 02/03/2018. The Forum afforded an opportunity to hear the Petitioner and Respondent on 25/05/2018. Both the parties were present for the hearing.

Version of the Respondent:

Petitioner is a consumer of KSEB Ltd bearing Consumer No.1158244006838 under Electrical Section Venmony.(Formerly Consumer No. was 1155379023867 under Electrical Section Kollakadavu).The tariff of the Consumer is LT I A.

The meter reading in respect of consumer No.6838, Electrical Section Venmony from 19/7/2014 to 22/1/2017 was 7009.The meter reading on 22-05- 2014 was 6813. The meter became faulty in between 22/5/2014 and 19/7/2014. The average units for 6 months prior to meter fault is as follows. 1/2014 239 units 3/2014 239 units 5/2014 260x60/63=248units The average unit = 726/3 = 242 units The amount remitted from 1/2015 to 11/2016 =630.4(232 unit) x12 =Rs 7565/- The amount to be remitted from 1/2015 to 11/2016 =776.4(242unit) x12 =Rs9317/- The amount of short assessment = (9317-7565) +Duty =1752+175 =Rs1927/- Hence short assessment bill Rs1927/- was issued on 3/8/2017 as per inspection report of Regional Audit Office. The meter become faulty in between 22/5/2014 and 19/7/2014.Hence the average is taken considering consumption of 1/2014, 3/2014 and 5/2014. The faulty meter was changed on 24/1/2017. The consumption after meter change is as follows.

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3/2017 -300 units, 5/2017 -357 units and 7/2017- 293 units.

As per Regulation 134 of Electricity Supply Code 2014, if the licence establishes either by review or otherwise that it has undercharged the consumer the Licensee may recover the amount so under charged from the consumer by issuing a bill. The petitioner is liable to pay the bill as demanded. Therefore the respondent prayed that the Complaint is to be dismissed and the complainant may be directed to remit the demand.

Analysis and findings:

Having examined the petition in detail, and the statement of facts of the respondent, considering all the facts and circumstances in detail, and perusing all the documents of both sides, the Forum comes to the following observations, conclusions and decisions thereof.

The petitioner is a domestic consumer (Ia tariff) bearing Cons. No. 6838 under the jurisdiction of Electrical Section, Venmony. The petitioner received a short assessment bill dtd. 3/8/2017 for Rs. 1,927/- alleging meter installed in the premises was not working from 1/2014 to 1/2017. The bill issued is based on the average consumption of 246 units and new meter was installed in January 2017. While on taking the bimonthly reading the meter was found not working, on 23/9/2014. The reading was 7009 same as the previous reading. In the previous bill the meter status recorded on 19/7/2014 as “working”. He has received regular bi-monthly bills for 232 units. Petitioner contended that the previous average is only 228 units/bimonthly (3/2014 – 239 units, 5/2014 – 248 units and 7/2014 – 196 units) but already billed for 232 units. Hence the petitioner requested to cancel the bill.

The respondent stated that the complainant in this petition is a consumer of KSEB Ltd bearing Consumer No.1158244006838 under Electrical Section Venmony. Formerly Consumer No. was 1155379023867 under Electrical Section Kollakadavu).The tariff of the Consumer is LT I A.

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The bi- monthly meter reading in respect of consumer No.6838, from 19/7/2014 to 22/1/2017 was 7009.The meter reading on 22-05-2014 was 6813. The meter became faulty in between 22/5/2014 and 19/7/2014. The average units for 6 months prior to meter fault is as follows. 1/2014 -239 units, 3/2014 -239 units and 5/2014- 260x60/63=248units The average units = 726/3= 242 units The amount remitted from 1/2015 to 11/2016=630.4(232 unit) x12=Rs 7565/- The amount to be remitted from 1/2015 to 11/2016= 776.4(242unit) x12=Rs9317/- The amount of short assessment = (9317-7565) +Duty =1752+175 =Rs1927/- Hence short assessment bill Rs1927/- was issued on 3/8/2017 as per inspection report of Regional Audit Office.The meter become faulty in between 22/5/2014 and 19/7/2014. The average is taken by considering consumption of 1/2014, 3/2014 and 5/2014.The faulty meter was changed on 24/1/2017. The consumption pattern after meter change is as follows. 3/2017- 300 units 5/2017 -357 units 7/2017- 293 units. Average consumption is 317 units.

During the hearing the petitioner argued that the meter status written in the bill for the month of 9/2014 as “working” and not faulty. So he claimed that the meter became faulty only from 9/2014. Hence the petitioner argued that the bill issued is illegal.

On perusal of the records it is seen that the status of the meter written in the bill dtd. 19/7/2014 as “working”. That means the meter became faulty only after 19/7/2014. Also seen that the previous bimonthly average was only 228 units (Avg. of 239, 248 & 196) but already billed for a system average of 232 units. In this case average bill is issued for the meter faulty period was issued to the petitioner, hence further averaging is not necessary. Moreover the meter was changed only on 24.01.2017. The respondent failed to change the meter within

5 the stipulated time as per the existing rules and regulations. The delay in issuing the short Assessment bill is not properly explained by the respondent. It is also noted that the meter is not tested at the accredited Laboratory or at site. The bill was issued on 03.08.2017 on the basis of an audit report assuming that the meter was faulty in between 22/5/2014 and 19/7/2014. Respondent failed to follow the procedures stipulated in the supply code. The bill issued is not legally sustainable. In the light of the above discussion, Forum decided to cancel the impugned bill.

Considering the above facts and circumstances, the Forum ordered as follows.

1) The impugned bill is quashed 2) No cost ordered.

The petitioner is at liberty to file appeal before the State Electricity Ombudsman, Charangattu Bhavan, Building No.36/895, Mamangalam - Anchumana Road, Edappally, Kochi – 682 024 (Ph: 0484 - 2346488) within 30 days of receipt of this order, if not satisfied with this decision.

Dated this 26th day of June 2018

Sd/- Sd/- Sd/- Sri Jefrin Manuel Mary Jose Smt. Jalaja. T 3rd Member 2ndMember (CHAIRPERSON) CGRF, Ernakulam CGRF, Ekm CGRF-CR, Ernakulam

Forwarded Sd/-

CHAIRPERSON (DEPUTY CHIEF ENGINEER) CGRF-CR, KALAMASSERRY

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Endt. On CGRF-CR/OP No. 132/17-18

Sri. C.K. Thomas, Chooralvettathu House, Venmony P.O., Chengannur Taluk, Alappuzha Dist., Pin – 689 509.

Copy Submitted to: The Chief Engineer, Distribution Central, KSEB, Gandhi Square, DH Road, Kochi -16.

Copy to: - (1) The Deputy Chief Engineer, Electrical Circle, KSEBL, Harippad (2) The Executive Engineer, Electrical Division, KSEBL, Chengannur (3) The Asst. Exe. Engineer, ESD, KSEBL, Kollakadavu (4) The Asst. Engineer, Ele. Section, Venmony