Port Blair, April 26: In an unprecedented move, the Tribal Council representing all the tribal electricity consumers of 15 villages of Car Nicobar has offered services of Panam Hinengo Ltd., (a Cooperative Society of Nicobarese) for distribution of electricity bills to the doorsteps of tribal consumers. In absence of the service, the bills were often misplaced and remain unpaid, said the Tribal Council, Vice-President Mr. Chamberlain Paul. It also offered to collect the bill amount and deposit it with the Electricity office there. ‘We are also ready to take over the meter reading activity since the electricity bills mostly show average reading, said Mr. Paul and added that both problem were due to shortage of manpower with the Electricity Department. ‘The department may pay a reasonable remuneration in line with CSCs in Port Blair, he said.
In two separate complaints filed with Electricity Consumers Grievances Redressal Forum, A&N Islands the Tribal Council sought relief. During the course of the hearing, the MD accompanied by GM of Ellen Hinengo Ltd., a larger player then PHL in Car Nicobar, submitted that EHL was the financer for PHL. Mr. Kartick Keyan, MD and Mr. Amin Moosa, (Executive Member Tribal Council) GM of EHL offered their service free of cost for distribution of bills and also collection of revenue on behalf of the department. Besides they also agreed to deposit money / bank guarantee as security deposit in favour of the department, if required.
“We will do it as a goodwill gesture as a part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) where we are involved in business vis-à-vis committed to socio-economic development through community participation towards the tribal community of Car Nicobar”, said both the MD and GM of EHL.
The Executive Engineer (Nicobar Division) assisted by AEs appearing on behalf of Electricity department (the Licensee) agreed the contents of the complaint as well the shortage of manpower. ‘But since the suggestion put forth by the complainant involves financial transaction, a detailed road map is needed to be prepared and approved from the Competent Authority’, said the EE Mr. K. Joydhar.
The Redressal Forum, a quasi judiciary body, after listening to the grievances, proposal and statements, directed the Licensee to ensure that the monthly electricity bills are delivered to the Nicobari Electricity Consumers at their doorsteps every month and the payment shall be collected at every village. It also directed that the monthly electric bills shall not be issued on average basis and it must show the new and old meter reading and actual consumption.
The Forum in its order said that in case of constraints to comply, the department shall entrust the work of bill distribution and collection of revenue to EHL through their 13 outlets covering all the 15 villages of Car Nicobar by accepting security money from EHL and entering into a tripartite agreement with EHL and Tribal Council following the recommendations of a suitable committee to be constituted for this purpose. The significant offer made by the EHL and also the Tribal Council in taking up the work of the department on their shoulder is not only praise-worthy but also an act which other section of people may come forward to replicate.
