12 Jan 2013Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)
Navneet Sharma
Power regulator wields
stick against discom staff
TOUGH TAtLK Electricity firms to replace all non- functional meters in four months, pecuniary penalty on personnel for default thereafter

CHANDIGARH : The Haryana Regulatory Commission ( HERC) has become strict with the two state- owned distribution companies for failing to replace ‘ dead’ electricity meters which are adding to their losses.
Prescribing new procedures with firm deadlines, the threemember regulatory body, headed by retired IAS officer RN Prasher, has ordered to impose financial penalties on the field staff of the two fund- starved discoms, Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam ( UHBVN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam ( DHBVN), in case of default in replacement of non- functional meters.
The estimates of total number of ‘ dead stop’ or defective electricity meters of consumers of domestic, non- domestic and industrial categories vary between 50,000 and 3,00,000 in the state. These consumers are either billed on the basis of average consumption in the past for long periods of time or some of them even pay minimum monthly charges showing their premises as “locked” in alleged connivance with the utility staff, according to sources. Their actual consumption is not recorded, adding to the losses of distribution companies.
The state electricity regulator, in its suo motu order on Friday, has directed UHBVN and DHBVN, which have 26.63 lakh and 21.80 lakh domestic, non- domestic and industrial category connections respectively, to replace all the ‘ dead’ electricity meters in urban areas of the state within the coming four months.
The two corporations have also been asked to provide electricity meters to their field staff for replacement of non- functioning meters. “In case the companies do not provide meters, the executive engineers have been permitted to buy electricity meters of brands already in the approved list of the government from the market for replacement of nonfunctional meters with a price cap. The responsibility for replacing the meters within the stipulated period will rest on them,” sources told HT.
On being contacted, the HERC chairman confirmed that the commission had intervened for reducing distribution losses due to non- functional meters and making the system more efficient. As per the order, a penalty of Rs 50 per fortnight or part thereof per meter will be imposed personally on SDOs and XENs for delay in replacement of dead domestic meters, Rs 125 per fortnight per meter for non- domestic meters and Rs 25 per kilo watt per fortnight for industrial meters.
Directions have been issued to the two energy distribution companies to deduct the financial penalty from the salary of erring field staff. However, the instructions and deadlines for replacement of dead meters will be applicable in urban areas, municipal towns and consumers supplied power from urban feeders. The consumers in politically- sensitive rural areas have been kept out.