OERC orders strict action on power bill collection

To maximise power bill collection amid non-cooperation of employees, the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) has directed all private electricity distributing companies (Discoms) to take stern action against their agitating workers.

“Any employee indulging in anti-consumer activities or showing non-cooperation in collection of revenue must be sternly dealt with and the Commission shall not tolerate any leniency in this respect,” an OERC letter addressed to the Discoms said recently.

In January, Western Electricity Supply Company of Orissa Ltd (Wesco), through a letter to the all district collectors of western Orissa, had talked about non-cooperation of its Junior Engineer (JE) association and said it would hamper smooth power supply service during Panchayat elections.

The staff union, under the banner of Odisha State Electricity Corporations Engineer's Association, had written to the Wesco that the JEs cannot be held responsible for 100 per cent bill collection. They had further demanded that the JEs be provided security while collecting bills as there have been instances of manhandling by notorious consumers.

The power regulator, in its recent directive, said that it is the duty of all employees of the Discoms to collect revenue, which is necessary to maintain supply of quality power, provide better service and pay salaries of the employees.

The Discoms, however, feared about fulfilling the objective of the One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme introduced by OERC due to the agitation by the workers.

“Such coercive action on the part of the said employees union has immensely threatened the exercise of OTS collection leading to loss of revenue to the Discom including statutory electricity duty payable to the state exchequer,” the Wesco letter said.

As per the OTS scheme, power consumers can pay their pending bills in a single transaction and can avail discounts up to 40 per cent. All the privately held Discoms, such as North Orissa Electricity Supply Company, (Nesco), South Orissa Electricity Supply Company (Southco) and Wesco have already applied the scheme in their respective zones.

So far, 46, 727 consumers in Nesco, 30,546 in Wesco and 30, 264 in Southco have availed the OTS scheme.

The amounts collected so far under the scheme have been Rs 27.8 crore in Nesco, Rs 17.2 Crore in Wesco and Rs 18.7 crore in Southco.