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Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum State Electricity Board - Southern Region, Vydyuthi Bhavanam, ______No: CGRF/KTR/OP.No.369/2017/6554 Date: 20 .6.2017. ______From

Chairperson To The Assistant Executive Engineer Electrical Sub Division, .

Sub: - Releasing of order of disposal of OP.No.369/2017.

Ref: - B.O (FB) No.585/2006 (LA.II/1173/2006) dated 25.2.2006.

Sir,

Enclosed please find the order of disposal of petition filed by Smt. Sindhu Shyam in OP.No.369/17 for further action. Yours faithfully,

CHAIRPERSON DEPUTY CHIEF ENGINEER CGRF (SOUTH) Copy to:- 1. Smt. Sindhu Syam, Chothi, North Mylakkadu, P.O. 2. The Deputy Chief Engineer, Electrical Circle, . 3. The Executive Engineer, Electrical Division, . ______

Office: CGRF(S), Vydyuthi Bhavanam, Kottarakkara, Pin – 691 506 Web site: cgrf.kseb.in E- mail: [email protected] , Phone: 0474 – 2451300

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CONSUMER GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL FORUM (SOUTH), KOTTARAKKARA ------Present: 1. Smt. Jalaja.T,Deputy Chief Engineer, Chairperson, 2. Sri. Suresh.N, Executive Engineer, Member II 3. Sri. A.R Vijayasundaran, Member III

Monday 19 th June 2017

OP No.369/2017

Between

Petitioner: Smt. Sindhu Syam Chothi, North Mylakkadu Kannanalloor P.O. And

Respondent: The Assistant Executive Engineer Electrical Sub Division, Kottiyam. ORDER 1. Grievance of the petitioner is as follows. The petitioner is a consumer under Electrical Section, Kottiyam bearing Consumer No.15033. She was aggrieved by a short assessment bill of Rs.2,140/- alleging meter faulty. The petitioner contented that during alleged meter faulty period fridge, washing machine and motor has not worked. Hence she prayed to cancel the impugned bill. 2. The opposite party filed a version as follows. The complainant is a registered consumer in the name of Smt. Sindhu Shyam with Consumer No.15033 with registered connected load of 2720 watts under Electrical Section, Kottiyam. The meter of the consumer became faulty on 24/11/2014. Average consumption pertaining to a period of three billing cycles was 200 units which was charged during the faulty period from 11/2014 to 3/2015. The meter was changed on 13/4/2015 and the average consumption of three billing cycles was 257.67 units. As per the report vide No.IR/2016/KTYM/152 dated 28/12/2016 of the Regional Audit - 3 –

Officer (RAO), KSEB , Kollam with regard to the internal audit conducted pertaining to the period from 4/2013 to 10/2016 it has been observed that there occurred short fall in the collection of current charge from the said consumer corresponding to the period from 5/2014 to 3/2015 because the energy meter in the premises of the consumer had been remaining faulty without recording the units actually consumed by the consumer and on account of this the consumer could not be charged for the correct consumption. Of the above mentioned assessment period, the period from 5/2014 to 7/2014 was reckoned as sluggish by the audit team and hence that period was also taken into account along with the meter faulty period in arriving the short assessed amount. Hence a short assessment bill amounting to Rs.2,140/- has been provisionally served to the consumer in accordance with the observation contained in the audit report and as per Reg.134(1) of Supply Code 2014 in order to make good the revenue loss incurred by KSEB Ltd with the intention of finalizing the bill only after giving an opportunity to hear the consumer and then by according due consideration of plausible averments and substantiate evidences, if any, put forth by the consumer. The detailed computation statement with respect of the short assessment bill as contained in the audit report as well as the consumption history pertaining to the period of one year prior to the assessment period is attached herewith for ready reference. 3. This case was posted for hearing on 25/4/2017. Both the petitioner and respondent were present for the hearing and heard the matter in detail. 4. During hearing the respondent stated that the meter installed in the premises of the petitioner was faulty on 24/11/2014. Average consumption pertaining to a period of three billing cycles was 200 units which was charged during the faulty period from 11/2014 to 3/2015. The meter was changed on 13.4.2015 and the average - 4 –

consumption after meter change was 257 units. But the RAO audit observed that there occurred short fall in the collection of current charge for the period from 5/2014 to 3/2015 and hence to be issued for the period from 5/2014 to 3/2015. Hence the respondent issued short assessment bill for the above said period as per Reg.134(1) of Kerala Electricity Supply Code 2014. 5. On perusal of the documents in the file, the forum observed that the petitioner was aggrieved by the short assessment bill of Rs.2,140/- issued by the respondent alleging meter faulty for the period from 5/2014 to 3/2015. The forum found that during the meter faulty period from 11/2014 to 3/2015, the petitioner was billed for the average consumption of 200 units which was the average consumption pertaining to the period of three billing cycle. In this case the petitioner was billed on the basis of average consumption of past three billing cycles immediately preceding the date of the meter being found or defective as per Reg.125(1) of Kerala Electricity Supply Code 2014. Hence further average based on the average consumption from the three billing cycles after the meter replacement is illegal and unsustainable. Moreover the forum did not see any sluggishness as alleged by the respondent, comparing of the consumption pattern of the previous months. The energy consumption during 5/2014 and 7/2014 was 206 units and 156 units respectively. The forum views that it was the actual recorded energy consumption and no considerable variation comparing the average unit of 200 units. Hence short assessment bill issued for the period from 5/2014 to 3/2015 based on the average consumption after replacement of meter is not genuine. 6. Considering the above facts and evidence of the case, the forum ordered as follows.

i. The short assessment bill of Rs.2,140/- is quashed. ii. No order as to cost. - 5 –

If the petitioner is not satisfied with the above order of this Forum, she is at liberty to prefer appeal before the Electricity Ombudsman within 30 days from the date of receipt of this order.

The address of the Electricity Ombudsman is furnished below.

State Electricity Ombudsman, Charangattu Bhavan, Building No.34/895, Mamangalam - Anchumana Road, Edappally, Kochi – 682 024, Ph: 0484 -2346488.

Sd/- Sd/- Sd/-

A.R VIJAYASUNDARAN SURESH.N JALAJA.T MEMBER III MEMBER II CHAIRPERSON/ EXECUTIVE ENGINEER DEPUTY CHIEF ENGINEER

Forwarded

CHAIRPERSON (DEPUTY CHIEF ENGINEER) CGRF (SOUTH), KOTTARAKKARA PIN – 691 506