Uttar Pradesh power company rapped for harassing small consumer

LUCKNOW - The Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) has pulled up the state power corporation for harassing small consumers while turning a blind eye to defaults by major consumers.

A letter issued by UPERC secretary Arun Kumar Srivastava urges Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited chairman Navneet Sehgal to ensure that that no criminal case was made out against domestic consumers up to 5 KW load found using some portion of their premises for commercial purposes.

The power regulatory body warned that corporation officials would have to face a penalty up to Rs.100,000 in case officials were found penalising small consumers for the wrong reasons.

The letter adds, “Any such matter, if brought to the knowledge of the commission, shall invite penalty under section 142 of the Electricity Act against the erring staff of the corporation.”

The directive came after a complaint made by Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad (state electricity consumers forum) chief A.K. Verma.

The complaint had alleged that corporation officials were harassing small consumers by getting criminal cases registered against them even if they just using a tiny portion of their residential premises for commercial purposes largely to supplement their incomes.

“Such consumers were charged for power theft and besides heavy compounding charges they were also subjected to assessment charges, besides of course facing the music on account of the FIR (first information report,” the complaint said.