The Hindu : New Delhi News : RWAs groping in the dark

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Tuesday, Jan 08, 2008
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RWAs groping in the dark

Staff Reporter

DERC refutes allegation; says salient features were published in Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi
Urja members to also continue opposing time-of-day metering, multi-year tariff schemes

NEW DELHI: A day before the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) begins public hearings for discussions on the proposed multi-year tariff (MYT) and time-of-day metering (ToD), a section of residents’ welfare associations under the banner of Urja on Monday alleged that a sizeable number of consumers are unaware of the petitions filed by the discoms.

The Urja members claim that DERC turned down their request for publishing the annual revenue requirement (ARR) petitions in Hindi. “We asked DERC to provide residents ARR petitions in Hindi, because 60 per cent of the population does not understand English. How can people file objections if they do not understand the petitions?” questioned People’s Action president Sanjay Kaul.

DERC, however, refuted the allegation.

“The salient features of ARRs were published in Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi. In the advertisements published, residents were asked to seek clarification from Joint Director and Deputy Director of DERC whose contact details too were given out, but no one bothered. Days before the hearings are to start, they have asked for copies in Hindi,” said a senior DERC official.

Reacting to the RWAs’ other allegation that objections to ARRs had been “passed on to discoms”, the official said: “It is the discoms that file replies to the objections. DERC is there to see whether the answers are provided or not.”

The Urja members also criticised DERC and the Delhi Government’s Power Department for suggesting ToD and MYT.

“We have been opposed to both the schemes and will continue to do so,’ Mr. Kaul said.

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