TPCODL To Make Corrections In Power Bills As Chief Secy Tweets On Irregularities

Bhubaneswar: The Tata Power Central Odisha Distribution Ltd (TPCODL) has assured of making necessary corrections in power bills of domestic consumers in the next billing cycle.

The TPCODL made the assurance even as Odisha chief secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena on Sunday requested the company to clarify on the complaints of irregularity in the billing of domestic power consumers.

The chief secretary’s request came after a consumer, Rasmi Ranjan Swain, in a tweet, drew the attention of Energy Minister Pratap Keshari Deb to the issue.

Accusing the TPCODL of robbing the consumers, Swain said the meter readers of the company were coming to take the reading every 45 days instead of one month. Due to the delay, the power consumption shows more and the consumers are charged at higher rate, he added.

He further alleged that the company was also indifferent towards the consumers’ problems as its officials were not responding to the complaints. “After getting an inflated bill, when I called the area in-charge, he said he could not help as he did not know anything about it,” said Swain.

Taking note of the tweet, the chief secretary told the TPCODL to clarify the matter to the consumers and help them understand the billing process clearly. “Please clarify to consumers for better clarity of the billing process and components and for helping consumers to understand their bills better and to create a confidence in them that they are not being overcharged,” wrote Jena in the tweet.

In its response, the TPCODL in a media release said, “As per the regulations, the normal billing cycle is 30 days (+/- 3 days). However, due to extreme weather conditions like heatwave and noe’wester during June, there has been a forced delay in meter reading leading to an extension of billing cycle for several consumers. We confirm that necessary corrections to each and every customer will be ensured in the next billing cycle.”

The affected TPCODL consumers have been informed about this through their registered mobile number. General public too have been informed through TPCODL social media handle, the company stated.

“We assure our consumers that any such deviation, due to reasons beyond our control, gets addressed in the next billing cycle. TPCODL further assures that all consumers will get the appropriate slab benefit as applicable to them,” it added.