75-yr-old makes Bescom sweat
Going by the rule book, he demanded and got compensation for unscheduled power cuts extending beyond six hours
S Kushala kushala.satyanarayana@timesgroup.com
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/MIRRORNEW/navigator.asp?Daily=MMIR&showST=true
While most people let their inverters and generators take over during the recent spate of power cuts, one vigilant citizen was keeping an eye on his watch to see if he could make the state government and Bescom pay for their incompetence. Having won two cases against the power utility, retired DRDO scientist C H Ram is among a handful of consumers who are aware that they can claim a refund if they are denied electricity by Bescom for more than six hours at a stretch.
Only last week, the Karnataka Information Commission (KIC) passed an order directing Bescom to pay Rs 100 to Ram for power cuts at the rate of Rs 50/day for an incident pertaining to 2010. Ram, who lives in ST Bed Layout at Koramangala, had claimed a refund for power cuts on October 19 and November 2 last year. The 75-year-old simply goes by the rule book. Under Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) regulations, consumers are entitled to compensation if an unscheduled power cut extends beyond six hours.
Like most of us, Ram was unaware of this rule till April 2008 when he began poring over the rule book after many parts of Bangalore were in the dark for more than 20 hours following a heavy downpour. He approached Bescom demanding compensation. When the area engineer did not oblige, he approached KIC, which upheld the rule that consumers had to be compensated Rs 50 if they are denied power for more than six hours at a stretch.
Since then, Ram has been keeping vigil, not because he needs the money, but as a matter of principle. In the latest instance, when parts of the city were without power for more than six hours on October 19 and November 2 last year, he approached Bescom demanding compensation. Officials again tried to stonewall him. The executive engineer tried to outsmart him by arguing that the power outage was for less than six hours. What the engineer did not realise that he was up against an enlightened consumer.
"The moment power is shut for more than an hour, I start keeping track. I call up the Bescom helpline, which has an IVRS and records my complaint. I get a docket number, which is as good as a time stamp,'' says Ram. To prove the engineer wrong, Ram also got an internal report about the number of hours of power cut, which vindicated his contention.
The KIC had no hesitation in directing Bescom to refund Rs 100, for two days of power cuts lasting six hours each, which Ram will get in his next bill.
ENGINEERS IGNORANT OF RULES
Bescom MD P Manivannan blamed ignorance of the rules for stonewalling Ram. "Our engineers are not aware of this provision. Plus, not many consumers come forward to claim refund. The refund demand has to be routed through the KERC, which orders Bescom to pay the consumer," he said.
WHAT KERC RULES SAY
» Deficiency of service attracts a penalty. » Consumers are entitled to compensation if an unscheduled power cut extends beyond six hours. » Penalty is Rs 50 for six hours of power cut. » Penalty adjusted in the power bill. » In rural areas, consumers are entitled to refund if power cut extends beyond 10 hours.
ENGINEERS IGNORANT OF RULES
Bescom MD P Manivannan blamed ignorance of the rules for stonewalling Ram. "Our engineers are not aware of this provision. Plus, not many consumers come forward to claim refund. The refund demand has to be routed through the KERC, which orders Bescom to pay the consumer," he said.
WHAT KERC RULES SAY
» Deficiency of service attracts a penalty. » Consumers are entitled to compensation if an unscheduled power cut extends beyond six hours. » Penalty is Rs 50 for six hours of power cut. » Penalty adjusted in the power bill. » In rural areas, consumers are entitled to refund if power cut extends beyond 10 hours.
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