Electricity Department, don't pass on the shock to the consumers
Roland Martins
goa...@gmail.com
Any tariff charged to the consumer must be linked to the
services offered by the service provider to the Consumer. In
the case of the Electricity Department (ED Goa), being the
sole service provider to the electricity consumers in Goa, we
need to be careful to scrutinize the services provided before
any order is passed by the JERC on the petition for a higher
tariff by the Electricity Department. We have to see whether
the Electricity Department has fulfilled its obligations as
per the Electricity Act 2003 as well as the earlier Orders of
the JERC.
Just because the Electricity Department has a
revenue gap of Rs. 929 crores, it cannot be
allowed to transfer this burden on to the
consumers. It is time that the Goa Electricity
Department pulls up its socks and takes
responsibility for any financial mismanagement that
has occurred over the last three decades. We
cannot be silent spectators to the fact that
Electricity Department seeks to give consumers in
Goa this Rs. 929 crores "tariff shock" in phases
by increasing the tariff over the next two years
i.e. 2015-16 and 2016-17.
As in the future there may not be budgetary support from the
Government of Goa, the Electricity Department must address
the issue of it becoming a Corporation and run its business
with accountability and transparency.
The argument that the tariff has not been increased for the
last ten years cannot be the basis for a necessary hike in
tariff. Good financial management and cutting down of
distribution losses is in fact the need of the hour for the
Electricity Department, Goa.
Even today's newspapers have reports that the Central
Government will respond in a positive way and provide Rs.
1200 crores to streamline power transmission and distribution
in the State. Will this money figure some where?
The consumer must pay for what is provided and not
for what is denied. When consumers do not get
power, why are they not being compensated? The
Commission needs to get the Electricity Department,
Goa to give a concrete assurance on the same when
passing its Order on the petition.
Then there is the issue of fixed charges and minimum charges.
Consumers are left clueless as to the basis of these charges
being calculated. The right to be informed seems to be
ignored by the Electricity Department. Many consumers are
being arbitrarily charged for laying new power lines in their
neighbourhood, but when challenged the officials of (ED Goa)
have had to back track. The Commission needs to ensure
transparency and accountability from (ED Goa) before taking a
decision on their petition.
New electronic meters are installed but consumers not
provided the Manual, Test Report and Warranty Card.
Hundreds of consumers are not being provided these documents,
which has resulted in many consumers doubting the metering
and billing procedure. Consumer education by the service
provider is a must but the Electricity Department has not
taken any proactive steps in this matter.
Meter seal is also removed but in many cases not replaced.
While the Electricity Department is constantly highlighting
its losses, it does not have a system in place to curb the
tampering of the meters. The practice of ensuring the seal
is in place for all the meters must be taken up by the
Electricity Department.
Then, there is the issue of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
The Electricity Department, in Goa, as a service
provider has a responsibility to encourage energy
efficiency and even promote the Bijli Bachao
Campaign in co-ordination with BEE. Consumers in
Goa have been denied this opportunity and thereby
no effective power saving strategies have been put
in place. Moreover such a campaign would save
lakhs of rupees of the Consumers if the Electricity
Department, as a service provider, was pro active.
The Electricity Department, as a service provider, also has
a responsibility to implement the various Orders of the
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). This is specially in terms
of use of quality materials with ISI mark for electrical
works in the government and non-government sector as this
would automatically ensure long lasting use. Neglect in this
area by the Electricity Department in Goa is resulting in
duplicate and fake materials being used thereby resulting in
financial losses and fires due to short circuit.
The Electricity Department, Goa, has remained
silent on the need to shift from CFL to LED,
thereby depriving thousands of consumers the
opportunity to reduce their power bills by using
the right bulbs and other lighting materials in
their homes and offices. The Commission needs to
instruct Electricity Department in this matter as
it is has the privilege of being the sole service
provider and thereby has a monopoly.
A report to be prepared by the Electricity Department on the
safety of the consumer and the workforce, injuries and fatal
accidents. Although GOACAN had highlighted this matter in
the previous public hearing and the Commission had ordered
that Electricity Department prepares a report to be submitted
in one month, nothing significant has emerged. Such a report
would have pointed to areas where action needs to be taken.
While the introduction of the HELPLINE 1912 is a
step in the right direction and must be
appreciated, it is important that the Electricity
Department increases it ambit very specifically to
take calls regarding possible damage to power lines
and other infrastructure, illegal power tapping,
street lights not working, streetlights being left
on during the day and related matters. This type
of feedback could be very crucial for the
Electricity Department in Goa in terms of cutting
down losses and increasing revenue.
The Electricity Department must look at the protection of its
infrastructure as vital to its plan to cut losses, protect
its assets and gain the good will of its consumers. It must
put in place in 2015-16 an area-wise protection plan in place
i.e at the level of the transformers and beyond where in the
consumer is seen as a partner and not just a bill paying consumer.
Every year National Safety Week (4th to 10th March) and Fire
Safety Week from (14th April) is observed in the country and
Goa but the Electricity Department has not been active in
this field. For the safety of its workforce it is very
important that Electricity Department becomes proactive. The
recent rise of fire accidents linked to electrical lines in
homes and offices is a wake up call for the department to pay
special attention and take up an awareness drive.
The losses to the infrastructure of the Electricity
Department in terms of power lines during the
monsoons and the subsequent storms and the
resultant power cuts need to reviewed. There is a
need for close co-ordination with other departments
but the Electricity Department must have its
exclusive District Rapid Action Teams properly
equipped for these eventualities with necessary
backup maintenance team functioning 365 days so
that the vehicles, pulleys, ladders, cutters,
mobile generator operated flood lights etc are
ready to use at any given moment.
This effort by the Electricity Department itself will cut
down losses and improve finances in the years ahead.
Underground cabling is the right step but requires
maintenance and safety. The Electricity Department must see
underground cabling as an important step to cut transmission
losses and better service to its consumers. If it fails to
work with the local self governing bodies like Village
Panchayats and Municipal Councils and take them into
confidence for the maintenance and safety then it will face
losses in the near future. Constant digging of the roads in
these areas has resulted in damage to underground cables as
no maps of these lines are available in the local area. Huge
expenditure with Central Government assistance on such
infrastructure needs to be seen as an investment for the
future which will become a liability if ignored and result in
the consumer facing the brunt of a tariff hike in the future.
Non-refund of expenses incurred by consumers on items meant
to be supplied free of charge is another issue.
Hundreds of consumers are being denied the benefit of the 30
metres free cable from the pole to the house and are being
forced to buy the same from the open market without being
given a refund. The systematic harassment that is being
meted out to the consumer in this matter was highlighted by
GOACAN in the earlier hearing but despite instructions from
the commission no effective steps are being taken.
Appropriate orders should be issued and refunds be provided
at the earliest.
Delayed billing and constant changes in the billing
contractors are a burden to the consumer. The constant
delays in raising monthly bills by the Electricity Department
has become a headache and financial concern for an average
consumer. Bills being delayed for four months at a time and
resulting in wrong calculations has only turned the consumer
into an adversary of Electricity Department. The Commission
must instruct the Electricity Department to put its house in
order with regards to the billing process so that money that
is due to be paid is received in time by maintaining a
uniform billing process without constant changes in the
contractors undertaking the task of generating bills.
The Electricity Department must plug the leakages in the
illegal tourism sector. While Goa has a resident population
of around 15 lakhs it receives nearly 50 lakh tourist
(domestic and foreign) annually. A large number of rented
accommodation and food & beverage outlets paying domestic
power charges are being put to use in the illegal tourism
sector by cashing in on huge rentals in foreign currency
thereby creating a revenue loss to the Electricity
Department. Instead of a tariff hike and transferring the
burden on to the honest bill paying consumers, the
Electricity Department needs to work with the Department of
Tourism, collect economic intelligence and plug the financial
leaks. The Electricity Department has till date not
appointed nor announced its willingness to set up a Vigilance
and Revenue Recovery Teams for North and South Districts of Goa.
The Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum needs to be made
effective. In the present petition, the Electricity
Department has shown a proposed increase in the expenses to
be incurred on CGRF but has failed to implement the order of
the Commission to make the CGRF more effective. Its present
permanent location in Vasco has made it inaccessible to the
Consumers of the whole of Goa. The Electricity Department
needs to take a call on this issue at the earliest, if not
Consumers will opt for other avenues for grievance redressal
which in the long term will be costly for the Electricity
Department.
--
Roland Martins is Co-ordinator, GOACAN. These issues were
raised at the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC)
public hearing held on Wednesday March 11, 2015 in Goa.
