PRESIDENT DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION, SAMBALPUR

                             Consumer Complaint No. 83/2022

Present-Dr. Ramakanta Satapathy, President,

  Sri. Sadananda Tripathy, Member,

Madhaba Bagarty,

S/O-Bhima Bagarty,

R/O-Sainagar, Charbhati, PO/PS-Dhanupali,

Dist-Sambalpur-768001.                                                      ……….......Complainant.

Vrs.

1. S.D.O.(II) (Electrical) TPWODL,

Bhutapada, Sambalpur

2. C.E.O. TPWODL, Burla,
3.  

Counsels:-

1. For the Complainant          :-      Sri. Subal Gardia Adv. & Associates
2. For the O.P.s                        :-      Sri. S.. Nanda & Mrs. P. Gupta, legal officer

Date of Filing:01.11.2023,Date of Hearing :24.07.2023,Date of Judgement : 26.09.2023

  Presented by Dr. Ramakanta Satapathy, PRESIDENT

1. The case of the Complainant is that the Complainant is having consumer No. 416131080253 and paying electricity bills to the O.Ps regularly. The O.P. No.2 gave a bill in the month of August for 35 days amounting to Rs. 14,906.66 and in the month of September for 29 days Rs. 5176.62P. On 23.09.2022 the Complainant gave a complaint to the O.Ps but no step was taken. The O.Ps are threatening to disconnect the power in case of non-payment. The O.Ps are deficient in their service.
2. The O.Ps in their version submitted that the power supply continued since 24.09.2019 wit permitted load of 2KW having meter No. WLT-160046 LT/Domestic category. Till Dec. 2022 the outstanding is Rs. 16,272/-. The demand for Rs. 14,906.66P in the Aug 2022 and Rs. 5176.62 in September 2022 is proper. In response to complaint dated 23.09.2022 on 22.12.2022 inspection was conducted. The meter is working well. To avoid payment complainant has been filed this complaint. The Complainant in connivance with the meter reader managed to suppress meter reading thereby bills were granted with low consumption although the meter recorded the consumption accurately. There is no deficiency on the part of the O.Ps.
3. From inspection report dated 21.12.2022 it reveals that Meter No. WLT 160046 and its status was O.K. The O.Ps in their version admitted that the Complainant inconnivance with the meter reader managed to suppress meter reading thereby bills were generated with low consumption. Meter reader is a person appointed by the O.Ps and if any manipulations made it can be treated as manipulation made by the O.Ps. Here question arises when suppressed meter reading bill was given what steps have been taken by the supervising authority. The O.Ps admitted their fault but no steps have been taken on the complaint dated 23.09.2022 of the Complainant. Accordingly, the bills submitted/supplied by the O.Ps for the month of August 2022 and September 2022 are not proper. It amounts to unfair trade practice and deficiency in service on the part of O.Ps. The O.Ps have already inspected the meter, accordingly the following order is passed:

ORDER

The Complaint is allowed against the O.Ps. The O.Ps are directed to waive out the bills of August 2022 and September 2022 of the Complainant. The actual consumption bill amount shall be collected from the Complainant. Further the O.Ps are directed to maintain regularity in taking meter reading in future. No cost and compensation.

Order pronounced in the open court on 26^th day of September 2023

Supply free copies to the parties.