Orissa

Jharsuguda

CC/21/2015

Dambrudhar Pradhan S/O-Anirudhar Pradhan - Complainant(s)

Versus

Sub-Assistence Engineer/Junir Engieer,Section ll,Near Collectrate - Opp.Party(s)

Self

05 Oct 2015

ORDER

 

DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL FORUM, JHARSUGUDA

 

CONSUMER  COMPLAINT  CASE NO. 21 OF 2015

 

Dambarudhar Pradhan (50 yrs),

S/O: Anirudha Pradhan,

R/O: AT/ PO: H. Katapali,

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

     

                                           Versus 

 

1. Sub-Assistant Engineer / Junior Engineer,

Section – III, Near Collectorate,

PO- OMP line, PS/Dist: Jharsuguda, Odisha.

 

2. The SDO, WESCO/SESCO, Jharsuguda,

AT-  K.M.Road, PS/Dist- Jharsuguda.................................................... Opp. Parties.

 

 

Counsel for the Parties:-

For the Complainant                          Self.

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

Date of Order: 05.10.2015

Present

 

                                                                                     1. Shri S.L Behera, President.

                                                                                     2. Smt. A. Nanda, Member(W).

 

 

Shri S. L. Behera, President :- The brief facts of the complaint case is that, the complainant is a consumer of the O.Ps. and residing with his joint family members. The complainant being BPL Card holder, belongs to a poor family and due to inability to pay the electricity bills he requested the O.Ps in writing to disconnect the electric supply on dtd. 26.04.2002 and for payment of dues bill amount in installments. The O.Ps disconnected the supply of electricity. But suddenly after 09 years, in the month of March 2011 the complainant received a bill amounting Rs.34,022/- only from the O.Ps including current bill mount of Rs. 27/- only. The complainant contacted the O.Ps about the matter in the month of December 2014 where the O.Ps suggested to pay Rs. 1,000/- only for reinstallation of electric connection and he will get the rebate over the dues amount. The complainant agreed and paid Rs. 1,000/- only the O.Ps reconnected the electric connection without any meter and the complainant was paying the electricity bill of Rs. 500/- only each month from 2015 onwards. Suddenly the O.Ps disconnected the electricity connection on dtd. 20.03.2015 without any prior information. The complainant filed this case for proper adjudication.

 

 

 

 

On service of notices, the O.Ps appeared and filed Written Version jointly through their counsel admitting the facts of electricity connection and submitted that the complainant had dues of Rs. 7,924/- only upto 04/2002. From dtd. 24.04.2002 the electric line was not disconnected due to non-request of any disconnection. The complainant was provided a new meter but failed to pay the actual consumption bills and again on dtd. 10.04.2015 one another new meter was installed. The O.Ps denied on any deficiency of service and prayed for dismissal of the case. 

 

Heard the matter in length from both the parties, gone through the case and materials available on record. The complainant is a BPL card holder of Baramkela Panchayat, Dist- Raigarh, Chhatisgarh and also his father Anirudha Pradhan a BPL card holder having Identity Card for Left Out Poor Family, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana of  Bolck/Dist-Jharsuguda, Odisha. The complainant filed Xerox copies of several electricity bills from March 2011 to November 2014 including a bill of dtd. 25.09.2000 amounting Rs.4058/- only along with an application of disconnection of electric line dtd. 26.04.2002 requesting to pay in installments (duly received on dtd. 27.04.2002). 

 

After giving written request for disconnection in the year 2002, the O.Ps disconnected the supply line physically but not in official record. All of sudden after 09 years the O.Ps served electricity bill for the month of March 2011 amounting Rs.34,099/- only including current bill of only 05 units calculated on average basis.  By minutely observing the subsequent bills, the O.Ps served outstanding amounts including average bills for October 2012 of 06 units, bill for March 2013 of 63 units(average), bill for June 2013 of 69 units (average), bill for September 2013 of 69 units (average), bill for July 2014 of 69 units (average) and bill for November 2014 of 100 units(average).  Without any meter reading the O.Ps calculated on average basis that was also variable. The complainant has deposited Rs. 300/- only on November 2011, Rs. 1,000/- only on dtd. 29.12.2014 for restoration of electric line and installation of new meter and since January 2015 he is paying average bill amount of Rs.500/- only per month. The O.Ps installed a new meter on dtd. 10.04.2015 still not serving the regular bills as per month wise consumption. As the locality of complainant is affected by low voltage supply of electricity, the complainant is deprived from making payment as per actual consumption.

 

On the above observations and analysis, it is found that the O.Ps adopted casual activities towards the complainant. The O.Ps disconnected the electric line of the complainant after receiving the disconnection application but not mentioned in the official record as a result outstanding dues continued alongwith various penalties and charges and charges of false using of electric energies. The whole activities denotes towards deficiency in service and unfair trade practice on the part of O.Ps towards complainant.

 

 

 

Hence, we are in considered opinion to allow the complaint of the complainant with directions to the O.Ps. as follows :

 

ORDER

 

1. The O.Ps are hereby directed to take proper meter reading regularly and issue actual bills as per consumption.
2. The O.Ps are hereby directed to calculate any bill, treat and provide all facilities as per provisions mentioned in the Electricity Laws towards BPL Card Holders.
3. Further the O.Ps are directed to take previous outstanding bill amount up to the date 27.04.2002(date of receiving application) in 10 (ten) numbers of equal monthly installments alongwith regular current monthly bills.
4. Furthermore the O.Ps are directed to waive out the entire disputed bill amount from date 28.04.2002 (date of disconnection) to date 10.04.2015 (date of meter installation) and pay a sum of Rs. 5,000/- (Rupees five thousand) only towards harassment, mental agony including litigation cost to the complainant.

 

Accordingly the case is disposed of.

                       

Order pronounced in the open court today on this the 05^th day of October’ 2015, copy of this order shall be communicated to the parties as per rule.

 

 

                          I Agree,                              

 

 

                                     

           A.Nanda, Member(W)                                                   S.L.Behra (President)

                                                  Dictated and corrected by me,

          

                                                          S.L.Behra (President)