As Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) gears up for yet another power tariff revision in the Capital, general consumers on Monday, demanded setting up a judicial inquiry into the functioning of private discoms.
On the first day of public hearing for domestic consumers, they alleged that the balance sheets of the discoms were manipulated and tariff revision was only being done to benefit the companies. They also sought from the DERC to categorise the domestic consumers, so that people from the lower strata too, get benefited.
A number of RWAs also requested the DERC to relax the first tariff slab to 400 units, instead of the existing slab of 0-200 units. Several others felt that similar to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the DERC should also segregate the domestic consumers into categories which would ease out the burden on the downtrodden section of the society. Issues ranging from humungous transmission and distribution losses to compensation to consumers for load shedding were raised by members of different RWAs.
"The balance sheet of all the discoms is manipulated. They present different accounts to the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), DERC and consumers. A judicial inquiry on the conduct of these distribution companies is a must for bringing in greater transparency," said Atul Goel of the NGO Urja.
They also sought from the commission to upload all the suggestions on its website. Member of RWA Greater Kailash- 1, Rajiv Kakria said, "In line of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), power tariff in whole of Delhi should be based on the motto 'One City, One Tariff'. Secondly, the term called 'fuel surcharge' is a scam. It is of no use and makes no sense. Therefore, it should be removed. The discoms have taken huge loans, the Government is not recovering the money from them, and power generation dues are also unpaid." A number of questions raised in the session, left DERC chairman PD Sudhakar and other members in an awkward position. One such occasion was when member of RWA East Delhi, BS Vohra raised the question of ownership of power where two per cent of stake in both BRPl and BYPl, are neither with the Government nor with the discoms.