Return rebate availed of two years ago: PSPCL to consumers
JALANDHAR: As far as negligence goes, this one by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) takes the cake. The corporation has sent notices to consumers under the Non-Residential Supply (NRS) category, asking for refund of the 7.5% rebate it provided for nearly four years (July 2006 to April 2010).
The category has more than 100 KW of sanctioned load with a supply of 11 KV.
Consumers using power for commercial purposes fall under the NRS category. Shops, hospitals, mall, restaurants, hotels etc. fall under this category.
Hundreds of such consumers have been issued notices across the state. PSPCL has claimed that no provision for rebate existed and the ‘rebate’ provid- ed was a mistake. The amount of the ‘rebate’ runs into several crores of rupees.
Consumers started receiving such notices in May.
The notices state that if the consumer does not deposit the amount before the deadline, surcharge would be levied.
HT has a copy of one such notice.
According to PSPCL’s internal auditor, each consumer under the category has to ‘refund’ more than Rs 1 lakh.
Some consumers have already challenged such notices in court and at appropriate dispute settlement committees of the PSPCL.
A consumer, Rakesh Kumar, who has challenged the notice at the dispute settlement committee of PSPCL said that that utility had issued no notification in this regard and the recovery of the amount was illegal.
Sources said that the total amount recoverable was around Rs 1 crore in Jalandhar circle and more than Rs 2 crore in the Ludhiana circle.
When contacted, SS Sarna, chief engineer, distribution, North Zone of PSPCL, confirmed that notices had been sent on the directions of the chief engineer, commercial.
He claimed that the situation had arisen as the accounting department misread a rule.