DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL FORUM, JHARSUGUDA

CONSUMER COMPLAINT CASE NO. 48 OF 2017

Sushila Bhainsal ( 70 Yrs.),

W/O: Late Loahan @ Lona Bhainsal,

R/O: Bhutia, PO: Remanda, PS: Lakhanpur,

Dist- Jharsuguda, Odisha…………………..……………...…..……. Complainant.

                                           Versus 

1. Junior Engineer( Electrical),Bandhbahal, WESCO,

AT/PO: Bandhbahal, PS: Banharpali,

Dist: Jharsuguda, Odisha.

2. S.D.O(Electrical ) WESCO, Belpahar,

AT/PO/PS; Belpahar.

Dist: Jharsuguda, Odisha................................................. Opp. Parties.

Counsel for the Parties:-

For the Complainant                                   Self.

For the Opp. Parties                                    Shri B. B. Barai, Adv. & Associates.

Date of Order: 31.10.2017

Present

                                   1. Shri Sundarlal Behera, President.

                                                                      2. Shri Santosh Kumar Ojha, Member.

                                                                      3. Smt. Anamika Nanda, Member (W).

Shri Santosh Kumar Ojha, Member :-

The  brief facts of the complaint case is that, the complainant is BPL Card holder and has taken electrical connection in the yerar-2013 with having Consumer No. 417225050507 and he was paying the electricity bills regularly to the O.Ps. The electric bill was coming @ Rs.70/- first time subsequently the bill was coming within Rs.150/- only.  Suddenly in the month of May’2016 the complainant received electricity bill of Rs.10,000/- only but from the next month the bill was coming as usual.  The complainant while paying the usual bill to the O.ps the O.Ps. did not receive and on dtd. 16.03.2017 the O.Ps. disconnected the electric connection.  On illegal electricity disconnection the complainant filed this case.

On service of notice, the O.Ps appeared and filed Written Version through their counsel admitting the facts of electricity connection and submitted that the complainant is a consumer vide consumer No. 417225050507 for 0.5 KW load under domestic category in the name of late husband of complainant.   The regular monthly bills have been served on complainant as per actual meter reading but being a habitual defaulter the complainant made no payment on monthly electricity bills and so on the outstanding arrear till February’2017 was of Rs.10,719/- only failing on the said bill the O.ps. disconnected the electricity line on 16.03.2017 but on order of this

Hon’ble Forum the O.Ps. restored the power supply and verified the bill record of complainant.  The O.P.No.1 prepared Physical Verification Report (PVR) on dtd. 09.05.2017 and detected that the meter was running proper and electricity bill have been raised on actual meter reading. The O.Ps. submitted that the case is not maintainable and it should be dismissed.

Heard from the parties, gone through the case and materials available on record. The complainant is a consumer of O.P bearing consumer No. 417225050507 having 0.5 KW load under domestic category. The O.P.No.1 made physical verification report on dtd. 09.05.2017 and 29.06.2017.  As per the said reports the complainant was using total load of 310 watt and the meter number-6380195 is also O.K.  As per the consumer ledger verification report dtd.07.07.2017 it noticed that the meter readings were 36 units to 60 units and in the month of May’2013 and November’2013 there was 144 units and 150 units but suddenly for the month of March’2016 the reading enhance to 180 units and in the month May’2016 it extended to 1964 units and since Sept’2016 the meter reading became usual. 

As the complainant is using 310 watt i.e. under 0.5 KW load developing meter reading upto 1964 units looks astonished as well as the complainant is under the BPL category, a senior citizen widow lady.  In the other hand the O.Ps. submitted that the electric meter is running in O.K. condition.

In the above circumstances the electric meter within proper running condition then sudden enhancement to the huge extent is clearly denoting the deficiency in preparing the electric bill.

Hence, we allow the complaint of the complainant with directing the O.Ps. to waive out the defaulted electric bill of Rs.10,108/- only of May’2016 from the total outstanding dues of complainant along with pay a sum of Rs.1000/- ( Rupees one thousand) only towards harassment, mental agony including cost of the case which may be adjusted in the forthcoming bills of the complainant

Accordingly the case in hand is disposed of.

Order pronounced in the open court today the 31^st day of October’ 2017. Free copy of this order be communicated to the concerned parties as per rule. 

I Agree.                                  I Agree.                                                                                          

1. Nanda, Member( W)         S. L. Behera, President           S.K.Ojha, Member                

                                        Dictated and corrected by me

                                                 S.K.Ojha, Member