Consumer rights body for AERC reconstruction
GUWAHATI, Aug 6 : Consumers rights organisation the Consumers Legal Protection Forum, has demanded reconstruction of the Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC).
In a statement here, the Forum has argued that the Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) has been whimsically raising the power tariff in the State and added there is ample scope to doubt that AERC blessings are behind such acts of the power distribution company.
The AERC has been preferring the interests of the power companies to that of the common consumers. Of late, the AERC has granted full authority to the APDCL in matters of raising the power tariff in the name of fuel and power purchase price adjustment, the Forum alleged.
The APDCL raised the power tariff by 25 paise per unit in May last. And now the APDCL has gone in for effecting a hike in the power tariff by 56 paise per unit, said the Forum.
The consumer rights body rued that it has virtually become a tradition on the part of AERC to allow the power companies to raise the power tariff without disposing of the grievances of the consumers spelt out by them during the public hearing held for the purpose, alleged the Forum.
The AERC has never bothered to substantiate whether the consumers are getting adequate amount of power, whether they are getting quality power or not etc., but what it is interested in is to shift the burden of power companies losses to the shoulders of the common consumers, alleged the Forum.
There are points to be pondered over so far as the power sector of the State is concerned. Neither the power tariff in the State had decreased nor any reduced amount of power was sold in the 09 and 10 fiscals, but the APDCL failed to collect the matching amount of revenue during these financial years.
The APDCL collected 9.46 per cent less revenue compared to the preceding year in 10 fiscal.
Due to its ignorance, 30 per cent of the power was lost midway in 09 financial year and 31 per cent of the power was lost in the same manner in 11 financial year, alleged the Forum.
The APDCL is realizing a nominal amount of money as tariff from the State Government and this has been adding to its losses, the Forum said.
The chairman of the Commission is a former chairman and managing director of the NEEPCO and most of the AERC officials come on deputation from the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB). All these have made the Commission subservient to the ASEB and its successor companies, alleged the Forum.
(THE ASSAM TRIBUNE)
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