Govt to BSES: Check ‘inflated’ bills

BSES today clarified that 90,000-odd consumers received a “higher” bill for August after an “inadvertent glitch” in their billing system in July resulted in the same consumers being sent an “abnormally low bill” in July. All these consumers are in South Delhi and Central Delhi.

In a statement issued today,BSES said this “glitch” was caused when the discom was carrying out a change in the billing cycles of consumers.

“Due to an inadvertent glitch in the system,which randomly pulled up an arbitrary date,instead of regular variable date (based on date of meter reading),only these 90,000 consumers received a higher electricity bill in August 2009,” the statement said. It said the August bill shows consumption over July and August,instead of the usual one-month cycle.

Incidentally,this also coincided with the end of the 10-per cent government subsidy on May 31. Coupled with high power consumption in the same months,many consumers received bills in August that were over 50 per cent higher than their previous bills,according to the discom.

Power Secretary Rajendra Kumar told Newsline: “The discom should have informed consumers about the glitch. They did include an additional line on August bills but that was perhaps inadequate. BSES will have to explain its failure to convey important information to consumers.”

The “additional line” in August bills for these 90,000 consumers said,“This bill incorporates consumption and the slab benefits for July/August 2009.” There was no explanation about the “technical glitch”.

Kumar also questioned BSES’s timing in going for a change in billing cycle — immediately after the government subsidy ended on May 31. “The timing was most inopportune,” he said.

BSES has asked consumers to directly write to its CEO at ceo@bsesdelhi.com for any queries. Payment date for such consumers has been extended to September 21,without late surcharge. “The consumers are also requested to ignore any disconnection notice in the interim,” an official said.