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All discoms to be brought under RTI Act, assures Habibullah

Staff Reporter

People will be able to seek all information about their working

Chief Information Commissioner, Wajahat Habibullah

NEW DELHI: The Capital's private power distribution companies will be brought under the Right to Information Act and people will be able to seek all information about their working after filing an application. This assurance was given by the Chief Information Commissioner, Wajahat Habibullah, to a delegation led by former Union Minister Vijay Goel on Wednesday.

According to Mr. Goel, Mr. Habibullah assured him that necessary action would be initiated to ensure that all three discoms come under the RTI preview in which the Delhi Government holds 49 per cent share and where public funds had been invested. He said as per Chapter 2 of the RTI Act "all the bodies owned, controlled or substantially financed by funds provided directly or indirectly by the appropriate government'' should be under the preview of the TRI Act.

Mr. Goel has been demanding for the past few months that all these three distribution companies be brought under the RTI Act and made accountable to the people and their elected representatives.

Terming the attitude of the Delhi Government on the issue as "indifferent'' and aimed at protecting the interests of the discoms, Mr. Goel said his efforts had borne fruit now and said directions in this connection are expected to be issued shortly. Now the people would be able to know how much funds were being actually spent by the discoms and in which manner the funds were being utilised.

Accusing the discoms of fraudulent practises, Mr. Goel said they raised the power charges for the consumers by fabricating the Annual Revenue Report but this would not happen in future and people have a new opening for redressal of their grievances. He also sought appointment of nodal officers by these discoms for attending to the applications filed by the common man under the RTI Act.

Pointing out large-scale irregularities, Mr. Goel said two of the discoms were making huge profits by undertaking wrong means. They were purchasing equipment and raw material through their sister concerns at exorbitant rates putting extra financial burden on the consumers. He was also critical of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission for ordering fresh security deposits by consumers equivalent to two months of power bills to indirectly fund the discoms.

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