Pulling up the Electricity department for charging a Sector 44-A resident on the basis of average consumption on an electric meter that was out of order for over six months, the Consumer Forum has obesrved: “Why should the consumer suffer for (the) department’s fault?”
The Forum also directed the Electricity Department, Sector 43-A, to revise or adjust the bills charged to the complainant — Jai Gopal — between January 2 and July 31, 2005, and asked it to award him a compensation of Rs 10,000.
Jai Gopal had filed a case alleging inaction on part of the Electricity department in billing him wrong and incorrect amounts.
According to the complaint, Jai Gopal rented out his house in August 2005, keeping a bedroom and toilet in his possession, after returning from Australia after a seven-month sojourn with his family. According to him, the house was locked and remained unoccupied from January-July ’05. He said though the electricity meter becomes inactive — or “dead” — on its own after a certain period, the Electricity department issued him “bill based on average consumption” instead of replacing the meter.
Jai Gopal also claimed that this “average” was illegally and arbitarirly raised by the Department.
The Electricity department, in turn, maintained that the meter had remained dead from January 2 to July 31, 2005 and it was replaced on August 1. The department also said it could not replace the complainant’s meter since there was a shortage of electric meters at the time — so the complainant was charged on ad hoc basis, the department said.
The Consumer Forum, however, turned down this plea and held the department guilty of deficiency in service.