HYDERABAD: A district consumer forum in the city has directed the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution (TSSPDCL) to pay Rs 30,000 to two complainants for inflated bills due to a faulty meter and disconnecting power supply without scrutiny.
The complaint was filed by B Srinivas, a tenant, and S Dhanalakshmi, wife of the houseowner. The complaint said that while the power bill for the house in Ashok Nagar from January 2020 to May 2020 was between Rs 548 and Rs 725 per month, they received an abnormally high bill of of Rs 23,095 (May 7-June 20) and Rs 25,950 (June 6-July 7).
A complaint was filed with assistant engineer, TSSPDCL, Indira Park, and despite paying Rs 120 for meter testing nothing was done, they alleged.
During the trial, the bench noticed that the reconnection was given only on January 28, 2021, after collecting consumption charges from August 2020 to January 2020 by exempting the disputed bill for June and July.
“The complainants suffered a lot due to the defective meter. The act of disconnection amounts to negligence, deficiency of service and unfair trade practices. The opposite party should cross-check their meter when such a huge bill was imposed on a domestic consumer,” said the bench.
Of the total Rs 30,000 awarded, TSSPDCL was directed to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation and Rs 5,000 as the cost of the complaint.
