[Resolved]  Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited — Excess electricity bill

Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde New Delhi
Union Minister for Power 22nd December 2008
Govt. of India
New Delhi

Hon’ble Sir,

I am AK Chatterjee, resident of Block No. B/14, Flat No. 19, Himgiri Apartments, Sector-34, Noida (UP) Consumer No. 201376, Book No. 9046 of PASCHIMANCHAL VIDYUT VITRAN NIGAM LIMITED (PVVNL).

I am residing in the above premises since January 1997 and have been paying electricity charges every month well before the due date invariably. I have during all these years never been a defaulter by any means, the fact you can verify from PVVNL’s records.

On 12th November 2008, I received a bill for Rs. 982/- which was paid by me on 16th November 2008 vide cheque no. 548469 on Corporation Bank, Sector-31, Noida vide PVVNL receipt no. [protected] dated 16th November 2008.

Again on 15th December 2008, I received a bill for Rs. 2, 318/- in which Rs. 982/- and Rs. 431.49 have been shown as arrears and penalty charges respectively.

Since I had already paid Rs. 982/- on 16th November 2008 I wondered why this amount has been shown as arrears alongwith quite a hefty amount of Rs. 431.49/- as penalty.

On query from Sector-20 and Sector-25 office of PVVNL I was told that the cheque no. 548469 for Rs. 982/- has bounced being postdated.

While my banker (Corporation Bank, Setor-31, Noida) has confirmed that the said cheque was never presented to the bank for payment. This is further evident from the fact that had that cheque actually bounced, as has been made out by PVVNL’s Sector-20 and Sector-25 offices, the bank would certainly have debited my account (S.B. A/c No. 70359) with “Cheque Returned” charges. I am enclosing herewith relevant page of my passbook (w.e.f 15th November 2008 to 17th December 2008) for your perusal where no “Cheque Return” charges has been debited by my banker to my S.B. A/c for this lapse.

Moreover, during my two visits to PVVNL’s Sector-25 office on 18th December 2008 I met Shri Rajinder whom I requested to show me the cheque (issued by me that has bounced). He said that he was unable to show me the cheque but asserted with confidence that the cheque has bounced--- not because of insufficient fund but being postdated.

With his assertion in pocket and bowing to his dictates I got a Demand Draft prepared in favour of E.E., EUDDI, Noida for Rs. 2, 318/- and deposited with PVVNL’s office on 18th December 2008 vide receipt no. [protected] dated 18th December 2008.

Now having undergone all these trauma and harrowing experience for no fault of mine may I assert my right under RTI Act 2005 to get a copy of the cheque for Rs. 982/- that I issued in favour of EE, EUDDI, Noida that is said to have bounced.

Since PVVNL has failed to show me the cheque so bounced I have every reason to believe that the concerned official of PVVNL has misplaced the cheque and to cover up his delinquency and make up with revenue loss, has come up with the story of “Cheque Bouncing”. Had this not been the real story PVVNL should not have any objection to showing me the bounced cheque. After all the cheque that is said to have bounced was issued by me.


Contd…..2/-

-2-

PVVNL has penalized me for depositing a postdated cheque of Rs. 982/-. Penal amount being Rs. 431.49. Have PVVNL ever thought of taking any disciplinary action by imposing some fiscal penalty on the man who issues receipts randomly without verifying the particulars given in the cheque. This kind of bitterness do occur in the mind of honest consumers due to negligence and delinquency on the part of officials who man such important counters. If they check the particulars given in the cheque before hand even by giving a cursory look they might save many a manpower loss subsequently and consumers are saved from financial loss.

I shall be grateful if you would kindly issue necessary instructions to PVVNL to forward me a copy of the cheque bounced or I will file a case of defamation and harassment in the consumer’s court and bring it to the notice of media as well.

To avoid this confrontation I suggest the following:-

1. Either I may be given credit of Rs. 431.49 to my next bill;

2. Or I may be provided with a copy of the cheque that has bounced with banker’s endorsement;

3. Take stringent action against the man who issued receipt without verifying the particulars given in the cheque to thwart recurrence of such incidents in future.


(AK Chatterjee)
R/o Block No.- B/14, Flat No. 19,
Himgiri Apartments, Sector-34, Noida (U.P)
E-mail: ak.[protected]@iccrindia.org
[protected]@yahoo.co.in
Mobile: [protected]
Ph:[protected]R[protected]O)
Fax:[protected]
Copy to:

1. Shri Jairam Ramesh 2. Shri. Anil Dev Singh
MOS (Power) Govt. of India Hon’ble Chairperson
E-mail: [protected]@vsnl.com Appellate Tribunal
Ministry of Power, Govt. of India
Fax: 24368485

3. Shri. Anil Razdan 4. Shri. Atul Kumar Gupta
Secretary (Power) Govt. of India Chief Secretary, Govt. o[censored].P
E-mail: [protected]@ias.nic.in [protected]Fax)

5. Chairman & MD, U.P. Power Corpn. Ltd. 6. Shri. V.N. Garg
Shakti Bhawan, Ashok Marg, Lucknow Principal Secretary (Power)
[protected] Govt. o[censored].P.
[protected]/2287792

7. Shri. Anil Kumar 8. Shri. Rajiv Verma
Additional Secretary (Power) Director
Room No. 419 (Finance, Grievance & CPIO)
Shram Shakti Bhavan, New Delhi Room No. 427
Tel Fax: 23715378 Shram Shakti Bhavan,
New Delhi
Ph: 23717196/2324359