Defective meter: Forum tells PSPCL to revise bills

JALANDHAR: District consumer disputes redressal forum, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, has directed the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to revise the bills of a consumer along with 50% refund for issuing inflated bills due to defective meter.

Forum also asked the PSPCL to pay ₹1,500 as compensation to the complainant for mental tension and harassment and ₹500 as cost of litigation.

Baldev Raj of Chuharpur village in SBS Nagar district had filed a complaint before the forum on May 22, complaining that the PSPCL had issued him three inflated bills due to defective meter.

He said that on January 18, he was issued an inflated bill of ₹20,133. Again on March 13, a bill of ₹22,605 was generated against his consumption and on May 14 a bill of ₹24,540 was issued to him. “I visited the PSPCL’s office several times for rectification of the bills, but to no avail,” he said in his complaint.

Upon notice, PSPCL denied the allegations and said the complainant consumed 2,381 units in January and the bill was prepared as per consumption by the complainant. On May 27, complainant challenged the meter by depositing an amount of ₹120 and old meter was changed. Meter was checked in the presence of XEN enforcement wing Nawanshahr. They said that during checking, meter was found to be running fast by 11.39 percent. “Considering this, 243 units are refundable to consumer. We pray for dismissal of the complaint,” PSPCL contended.

Forum, however, directed the PSPCL to issue fresh bills for the mentioned months to the complainant after taking average consumption of the corresponding months of the last year along with compensation and 50% reduction of ₹12,250 in a bill which he had already paid.