The Hindu : New Delhi News : Recall electronic meters, says People's Action

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Sunday, Sep 25, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Recall electronic meters, says People's Action

Staff Reporter

`Meters show 100 per cent jump in readings over a comparative period of time'

NEW DELHI: People's Action, spearheading the campaign against fast-running metres, inflated electricity bills and related problems, has written to the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) to order recall of all electronic meters installed during the last three years until the issue is settled to the satisfaction of all.

In a letter to the Commission, People's Action has argued that the Government cannot have half the population of the city paying exorbitant bills while the other half paying according to electro-mechanical meters only because the Government and the private distribution companies have not been able to get its act together.

In its representation, it has given several points justifying recall of the meters on account of faulty and dubious engineering work that has resulted in "wiring worries''. The fact that the Central Electricity Act does not provide for wholesale changing of meters without evidence of a fault also goes against the replacement operation.

Citing issues of suspect methods used to replace meters as a serious lapse in legal terms, the group has castigated the Commission for being unable to control discoms while they ran the replacement operation without fear of reprisal.

"We are collecting tangible evidence of inflated billing through bill comparison forms which have been distributed to all RWAs through the URJA network. The Commission will also have to explain how meters can show 100 per cent jump in readings over a comparative period of time," said Promod Chawla of People's Action.

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