Orissa

Sambalpur

CC/74/2022

Pani Panchayat, Buromal - Complainant(s)

Versus

1. TPWODL Divisional Manager, Electrical Deptt. - Opp.Party(s)

25 Apr 2023

ORDER

PRESIDENT, DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION, SAMBALPUR

CONSUMER COMPLAINT NO.- 74/2022

Present-Dr. Ramakanta Satapathy, President,

  Sri. Sadananda Tripathy, Member

 

Pani Panchayat, Buromal,

At-Buromal, PO-Badsahir, Dist-Sambalpur

                                                                                       ...………..Complainant

Versus

1. TPWODL Divisional Manager, Electrical Deptt.

Rairakhol, At/Po-Rairakhol,

Dist-Sambalpur-768104.

2. TPWODL S.D.O.

Rairakhol Electrical Deptt. Rairakhol,

At/Po-Rairakhol Dist-Sambalpur-768106.

3. TPWODL Section officer Electric Deptt.

Hatibari, PO-Basiapada, Dist-Sambalpur-768105. …………...Opp.Parties

         

Counsels:-

1. For the Complainant         :-       Sri. Bipin Bihari Mirdha President and Dillip

Padhan, Secretary of Pani Panchayat

2. For the O.P.s                       :-       The Officer. Legal, TPWODL

 

Date of Filing:26.09.2022,  Date of Hearing :21.03.2023  Date of Judgement : 25.04.2023

Presented by Dr. Ramakanta Satapathy, President.

1. The complainant “Pani Panchayat Buromal” is a group of small Farmers and tribal people having consumer No.4160-0106 -0393 and undertaken lift irrigation work cultivating the land. The complainant is that the O.Ps are not giving regular bill to the complainant. During 1.12.2020 to 5.1.2022 the current bill is Rs.96,632/- and arrear shown Rs.12,315.77 . The Opp.Parties are deficient in their service.
2. The O.Ps after appearance in their version submitted that the case is for a direction for revision of energy bills as per actual consumption and regular issue of bills. The billing disputes are not maintainable before this commission. The permitted load is 10 KW under LT/Irrigation pumping and Agriculture category. The power has been supplied since 22.7.2019. The Consumer is irregular in payment for which up to December 2022 is Rs.98.443/- . The complainant has paid bills in 7 outstanding arrear up to December 2022 is Rs.98,443/- . On 18.12.2022 a smart meter having serial No.10005616 in the premises of the consumer has been installed. From September, 2022 on wards actual meter reading has been taken and earlier provisional reading has been adjusted. The O.Ps acknowledged all the payments made by the consumer except Rs.50,000/- on 16.3.2022 . The amount has been received against Consumer No.4160-0103-0393 not against 4160-0106-0393. On 12.10.2022 the O.Ps received Rs.20,000/- cash and restored electrical connection ,. There is no any deficiency on the part of the O.Ps;.
3. Perused the documents filed by the both the parties. At the time of hearing the representative of the O.Ps submitted that , an amount of Rs.1,05,571/- is lying outstanding wrongly Rs.50,000/- has been deposited in account no.4160-0103-0393 in place of 4160-006-0393 and assured to adjust the amount in forthcoming bills. As per submission of complainant out of Rs.1,38,310/- an amount of Rs.1,37,800/- has been paid on 14.11.2022.

Both the parties were given an opportunity to settle the matter emicably but no any resolution n came. Accordingly, the following observations are made.

1. The smart meter was installed on 18.12.2022 and till that day no regular bill has been supplied to the Consumer. As per admission of O.Ps the following amount has been adjusted:

Provisional billing period.	Billing amount	Adjustment month.
July,19 to Oct.2020	Rs.26,073/-	Nov,2020
Dec,2020 to Nov,2020	Rs.20,031/-	Dec,2021
Jan,2022 to Feb,2022	Rs.15,003/- March,2022	March,2022
April 2022 to June,2022	Rs.24,975/-	July,2022
August,2022	Rs.7,421/-	Sept, 2022.

 

This is a dispute relating to excessive billing due to provisional billing by the Opp.Parties and accordingly it is excessive as per allegation of the complainant. After installation of smart meter regular bill is coming.

          Basing on the circumstances of the case the following order is passed:

ORDER.

The complainant is allowed partly on contest against the Opp.Parties. The O.Ps are directed to give a revised bill to the complainant taking average of actual consumption as per OERC Regulation, 2019 and supply a bill adjusting  Rs.50,000/- paid in wrong account within one month of this order. The complainant ids also directed to pay the current bills regularly. In this observation the case is disposed off.

Order pronounced in the open Court today on 25^th day of April, 2023.

Free copies of this order to the parties are supplied.