HC notice to govt on pil over faulty power bills

The city government was asked on Wednesday by the Delhi high court to respond to a plea for damages to consumers from the government and power distribution firm BSES Yamuna for allegedly raising ‘wrong’ electricity bills. Issuing notice to the city government, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, BSES Yamuna Power Limited and the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission, a bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw sought their replies by 23 January 2013. The court issued the notice on a petition filed by social activist Sri Chand Jain who also sought directions to the Delhi government for issuance of guidelines to determine power tariff through bidding process. ‘Issue directions to respondents to issue guidelines under section 63 of the Electricity Act for determination of tariff by bidding process in the interest of justice,’ said the petition filed through counsel Sugriv Dubey. The petitioner further sought an order to the government and the discom to ‘stop the recovery of incorrect bills issued to the consumers.’ It was alleged in the petition that BSES Yamuna is issuing incorrect bills and people are compelled to deposit inflated amounts failing which the power is disconnected. The meters installed by the company are very fast and are giving unreasonable and incorrect readings, the plea said adding the company issues bills ‘without verifying the defective meters’ and also ‘without replacing the fast meters.’