MAKING A POINT: K.P. Pandey (left), KERC Chairman, and R.C. Purohit, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry president, at a discussion in Bangalore on Tuesday. — Photo: G.P. Sampath Kumar

Bangalore: "For the effective functioning of the electricity supply companies, consumers need to be eternally vigilant about happenings in the energy sector," said K.P. Pandey, chairman of the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC).

He was speaking on "Consumers' participation in electricity regulatory process" on Tuesday at the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI).

Mr. Pandey said KERC was neither a champion nor an advocate of the consumers or the electricity supply companies (ESCOMs) in the State. KERC was entrusted with the delicate work of balancing the interest of the consumers and ESCOMs, he said.

"The ESCOMs do not want to educate the consumers. The latter should educate themselves," he said. Mr. Pandey said the consumers should form effective pressure groups, that way they cannot be ignored by either the ESCOMs or the Government. He also said that the sector had been politicised, as it had become a "vote catching device". H.S. Subramanya of KERC said to be eternally vigilant, one had to be strong. For the KERC to be a good facilitator, the consumers should support it. Muralidharan of KERC's Consumer Advocacy Wing said the nature of objections had improved qualitatively over the years.

Functioning

He said consumers should not be complacent and should address basic issues affecting the functioning of the ESCOMs. He said over 5,000 postcards had been sent to the Chief Minister's office, where the consumers had urged the Government to withdraw the appeal filed against the KERC order at the Appellate Tribunal.

S.D. Ukkali of KERC; M.G. Prabhakar, chairman, Energy Committee, FKCCI; R.C. Purohit, president of FKCCI, spoke on the occasion.

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