Hyderabad: A Meezlpeta resident has won a case against the Eastern Power Distribution Company in the Vizianagaram district consumer disputes redressal forum after he was billed heavily on flimsy grounds. The forum found fault with the state electricity department and asked it to restore the complainant’s power immediately. The complainant N. Ramulappadu had, in his plea against EPDCL, told the forum that while he used to get consumption bills for less than Rs 200 per month, it was to his surprise that in the month of March, 2015, he was slapp-ed with a bill of Rs 12,260.47.
“When I received a bill for such a huge amount, I approached the authorities and they promised to reduce the bill amount and furnish a new bill, but they did not do this,” he said. In May, 2015, he received a bill of Rs 12,675. Again he approached the officials, and they served a demand notice to pay a bill of '12,693 from April to August 2015. Instead of rectifying the bills, the authorities disconnected power supply to his house and made him live in the dark.
EPDCL has contended that there was no defect in the meter and as such the question of receiving bills for excess amount did not arise. It advanced an argument that the complainant colluded with the meter reader, and got issued bills to enable him to pay minimum charges. However, in the columns mentioned as earlier reading and present reading, no mention was made about the units that were consumed earlier as well as the units consumed just before the reading was taken.
The forum opined that there was deficiency of service on the part of the EPDCL and their men for not issuing correct bills for the actual units consumed by the complainant. EPDCL did not place any evidence to prove that the complainant has not paid money for the units consumed. While directing EPDCL to restore power connection, the forum also ordered the complainant to pay a sum of Rs 2,000 by way of arrears.
