CONSUMER GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL FORUM NORTHERN REGION, . (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

LEKHA RANI R : MEMBER II

OP No.130/2019-20

PETITIONER :

Smt. Jesintha Pongadan, W/o EK Jose, Jayalayam,Pallikkara P. O, Thavam, Cherukunnu, District-670301.

RESPONDENTS :

1. Assistant Executive Engineer, Electrical Sub Division, Pappinissery, -670002.

2. Assistant Engineer, Electrical Section,Cherukunnu, Kannur District-670301. ORDER

Case of the Petitioner:- The petitioner, Smt. Jesintha Pongadan, Cherukunnu, Kannur district bearing the consumer No.6730 comes under the jurisdiction of Electrical section Cherukunnu complaints that she was issued with an exorbitant bill to the tune of Rs3533/- stating that based on the report of RAO Kannur the revenue on account of 11/2017-07/2019 period was collected short and the amount so arrived had to be remitted on or before 31.1.2020. The petitioner admits that two senior citizens are only residing in the house. Hardly 2 LED bulbs and a Television set is functioning in the house from 7 pm to 9 pm. As they are senile they used to stay with their children some times. The meter reader has never informed of the malfunctioning of apparatus. When ever the bill is issued, in the very next day itself the payment used to be made which shows that the complainant has never defaulted. Hence it is requested to view the complaint sympathetically. As the petitioner Smt.Jesintha is not able to travel it is informed that her husband Sri.EK.Jose will be available for hearing.

Version by the Respondent: -

The petitioner Smt. Jesintha Pongadan is the registered single phase consumer having her consumer No.1166644006730. Following the Kannur RAO inspection held on 28.11.2019 it was noticed that there is a short assessment due to faulty meter during the period of almost two years from 11/2017 to 07/2019. Prior to the period of meter being found faulty an average short assessment bill of 165 units was issued for Rs.3533/-

The 6 month’s consumption prior to the meter being found faulty is appended below :-

2 Bill Month Final Reading Consumption in Units

05/2017 7876 172

07/2017 8047 171

09/2017 8198 151

Average of previous 3 bills: 165 Units

The consumption details from 11/2017 to 07/2019 are as under:-

Bill Month Final Reading Consumption in units

11/2017 8312 114

01/2018 8391 79

03/2018 8458 67

05/2018 8524 66

09/2018 8583 19

11/2018 8592 9

01/2019 8604 12

03/2019 8620 12

05/2019 8635 15

07/2019 8636 14

The consumption after replacing the faulty meter on 09.7.2019 is as follows:-

Bill Month Final Reading Consumption in Units

09/2019 169 169

11/2019 341 172

01/2020 540 199

The RAO Kannur observed in their periodical inspection held on 28.11.2019 that the consumption during the period from 11/2017 to 07/2019 was found to be less than the actual reading and hence the

3 short assessment bill for Rs3533/- was issued. Therefore the respondent seeks the Hon’ble Forum to consider the above facts and cancel the petition in toto.

Discussion, analysis and findi ngs :-

The hearing of the case was fixed on 28.2.2020 and both the petitioner and the representative of the respondent was present.

Having considered all the documents submitted and the deliberations during the hearing,the Forum has come to the following conclusions leading to the decision:-

The energy meter installed in the premises of the petitioner was declared as faulty during 7/19 and meter replaced with new one on 09.7.2019. The inspection wing of RAO pointed that the consumer was under charged during the period from 11/2017 to 07/2019. As such a demand for Rs3533/- was issued to the consumer.

The dispute of the petitioner is with regard to that bill. According to the licensee the meter may be faulty from 11/2017 onwards which was the reason for very low consumption. Hence average of 3 billing cycles prior to 11/2017 is computed and that average units taken from 11/2017 to 07/2019 for arrear bill preparation.

As per Regulation 110(11) and (12) of Supply Code 2014;

1) In case, for any reason, the meter is not read during a billing cycle, the licensee shall prepare a provisional bill based on the average consumption of previous three billing cycles when readings were taken.

2) Such provisional billing shall not continue for more than two billing cycles at a stretch, and the licensee shall not generate more than two provisional bills for a consumer during one financial year. As per the abstract of meter reading register the status of the meter is ‘OK’ up to 05/2019. For the entire period of 10 billing cycles the meter reader took readings and billed based on the recorded consumption.

From the foregoing the Forum arrives at the conclusion that there is no justification on the arrear bill issued to the petitioner. Hence it is quashed.

DECISION:- 1. The petition is allowed. 2. Bill for Rs3533/- dated 31.01.2020 is quashed.

Dated this the 12 th day of Mar, 2020 Sd/- Sd/- Lekharani R. Beena Gopinath S. Member II Chairperson

Endt.on CGRF-NR/OP /130/2019-20 / 652 dated : 12 .03.2020 Forwarded to: 1) Smt.Jesintha Pongadan, W/o EK Jose,Jalalayam, Pallikkara P.O, Kannur-670301. 2) The Assistant Executive Engineer, Electrical Sub Division, KSEB Ltd, Pappinissery, Kannur District. Copy submitted to: Chief Engineer (Distribution – ) , Kannur Copy to: 1. The Secretary, KSEB Ltd., Vydyuthibhavanam, . 2. Deputy Chief Engineer, Electrical Circle, . 3. The Executive Engineer, Electrical Division, . 4. The Assistant Engineer, Forwarded Electrical Section Cherukunnu, Sd/- KSEB Ltd., Kannur District. 5 Chairperson