NDPL told to pay Rs 70K for illegal demand of dues

North Delhi Power Ltd (NDPL) has been directed by a consumer forum here to pay Rs 70,000 to a garment manufacturer for raising an "illegal" demand of over Rs 9.5 lakh as outstanding dues.
The North East District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum also directed NDPL to waive off the alleged outstanding dues and late payment charges and to issue a no dues certificate to the customer after he pays the current power bills.
"The arrears raised and late payment charges levied thereon are arbitrary and without any basis. Also respondent (NDPL) has neither filed on record the orders of assessments alleged to have been made... Nor filed any calculations to show how it arrived at the disputed figure in the bill.

"The respondent is directed to waive off the arrear amount of Rs 9,50,828.52 reflected in the disputed bill along with the late payment charges levied thereon," the bench presided by N A Zaidi said.
The forum also directed NDPL to pay the complainant, Delhi resident Sudama Ram, Rs 50,000 as compensation for harassment caused to him, along with Rs 20,000 as cost of litigation.
Ram, who runs a garment manufacturing unit, had challenged the alleged outstanding dues of over Rs 9.5 lakh demanded from him by the discom.

He had alleged that NDPL had threatened to cut the power supply to his establishment if he did not pay the inflated bill which was raised by the discom despite him having made regular payments.

NDPL had contended in its defense that the outstanding dues were for the period from April 2010 to March 2011, but the contention was rejected by the forum which said that as per the documents filed on record by Ram, all current dues had been paid by him.
"There were no arrears outstanding due from complainant as on March 14, 2011. However, in the said (next) bill of April 28, 2011, the respondent has again raised arrears to the tune of Rs 4,53,163.74 inspite of clearance of outstanding dues... And these arrears have ultimately swollen to Rs 9,50,828.52," the forum said.