Handling power problems in Delhi

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

: regulating the regulators?’ The regulator has proved the soft belly of power reforms.

Second, the legislative intent of inducing checks and balances by ensuring participation of civil society has proved almost ineffective, because of two reasons. One, to discharge the role of effective watchdog, civil society institutions and consumer groups need to be armed with legal, technical and commercial expertise, besides that of international best practices.

Two, even if consumer groups manage this, as with the case of Energywatch, which challenged the DERC order in the high court, the arduous, time consuming and expensive procedure of appeal makes the exercise untenable.

Sadly, the recent approach of resident welfare associations, to get the rate reduced by mounting political pressure, is not the right way and is not sustainable. It is not the chief minister, but the regulator that needs to be confronted. And not through pressure, but by legal, technical and commercial arguments.

There are lessons to be learnt as to how to regulate the regulators and how to leverage civil society institutions in this role. For example, in Britain, after establishing the energy regulator, the department of trade and industry itself supported an energy watchdog to keep a tab on the regulators. It is not easy, but not impossible either, to build capabilities of stakeholders in creation of expertise in legal, technical and commercial areas with regard to distribution of electricity.

It is for this task that associations will have to prepare themselves.

We are an SSI unit in Badli Industrial Estate, Delhi. We had complained to our power distributor, NDPL, in writing in November 2003 about defective meters. They checked our meter in 2005 and declared it slow by 66%. They took one year in enhancing our load, slapped ‘misuse charges’ indiscriminately and do not respond to our complaints of power failure. What should we do?

— Ravi Sood, Neeraj Industries, S-29, Badli Ind Estate, Delhi

It is obvious that the service provider has violated the service standards as laid down by the DERC. For example, it was bound to test the meter in 15 days, as per norms. You may file a complaint in writing to the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission, Viniyamak Bhawan, C-Block, Shivalik, Malviya Nagar, Delhi-110017.

— Anil Bhardwaj is former, secretary-general, Fisme.