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RWAs reject DERC's new initiative to test meters

Staff Reporter

Seek details on meters, testing process, methodology Association front objects to involvement of CPRI, BSES in the drive

NEW DELHI: Rejecting the new meter review and testing initiative announced by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), the Delhi Residents' Welfare Associations' Joint Front has said the scheme should have been drawn up in consultation with the RWAs instead of once again adopting such a secretive method.

In a joint statement here, the Front said it had written to DERC pointing out that the process of testing of electronic meters, its methodology and the details of the machines on which the tests would be conducted had not been properly specified. "It is important that before starting this drive, such details should be made public and also sent to all RWAs. Only after receiving objections and views of people and independent credible power sector experts should a proper scheme be framed for meter testing."

The copies of the letter have also been sent to the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, and the Lieutenant-Governor, B.L. Joshi.

The Front objected to the association of CPRI and BSES in this testing drive stating they are accused of cheating the public in installation and subsequent testing of faulty meters.

Complete details

They said restricting testing to just 500 meters is another attempt to mislead the people. For 10 lakh meters changed, even a small sample of 5 per cent comes to 50,000 and the attempt to get away with testing of only 500 meters is another attempt at window dressing.

"Requesting each RWA to give only two domestic consumers for testing is shameful. We would like to have complete details from you (DERC) on the meters therefore kindly furnish following data to us and also put it in public domain,'' they added.

The Joint Front also asked the DERC to furnish details of all the meters approved by it. It sought details of the methodology adopted for approving the metres. It also sought information on each meter tested, names of DERC officials involved in approval of meters, origin of electronic meters installed by discoms.

The DERC should also come clear on if any inspection of manufacturing process done by DERC, Government or consumer bodies, it added.

Putting further pressure on DERC, the Joint Front has sought certificate of quality of each meter installed, details of cost paid for each type of meters, specification of each of these meters, details of inspection conducted by BIS and DERC on each of the categories of meters and findings of the inspection. The joint statement has been signed by the Joint Front president, V.C. Tandon, secretary, Pankaj Agarwal, and senior vice president, Col. U.N. Kohal (retd.).

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