Consumers cannot be bound by suo motu decisions of the Electricity Department to which they are not a party. It is absurd to hold aggrieved consumers at ransom, demanding they first pay entire sum stipulated in disputed bills before a protest can be heard for redressal. Past consumption pattern, sanctioned load should form the basis of scrutiny of sudden surge in bills. Taking shelter and invoking such a draconian, one-sided provision on helpless consumers is abhorrent. The PM has rightly embarked on scraping of many outdated laws that are redundant. Whenever an applicant files a suit for damages, it is not incumbent upon the accused party to first pay before filing a reply and this is general procedure. If and when the electricity department finds the demand raised has been genuinely substantiated, it can at best levy interest for the period of default. The unusual surge in units of domestic consumption can be due to faulty meter, wrong billing, bills paid not accounted, etc against which the consumer has no control. Similarly whenever arrears are billed due to the fault of the department, consumers must be at liberty to pay in instalments are per their convenience. It is expected that the Minister for Power will immediately look into abolishing this draconian, one-sided clause used for harassment. Arrears of industrial units are running into crores and so is the loss by pilferage. Alternatively, electricity consumers in Goa need to form a registered organization to challenge the might of the department in unfair trade practices and monopolies act. The department does not own any responsibility when domestic appliances are damaged due to fluctuations in voltages and legal remedies need to be invoked. Various additional charges in the bill are really burdening the consumers unfairly with consumers having no say on its justification. Pay and protest is unique principle applicable only to electricity bills under dispute and it must be abolished immediately.
Nelson Lopes, Chinchinim
