Port Blair, Apr 28: The Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (for the State of Goa and Union Territories) has acknowledged the gravity and unprecedented nature of the situation prevailing in the country which has affected the ability of the Electricity Department in maintaining its infrastructure and serve bills to the consumers and on the other hand, the ability of the consumers to pay the bills. Besides, the industrial and commercial consumers are staring at a situation of low production/demand on services.
In order to mitigate the hardship of Electricity Consumers and Electricity Department in view of nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19, the Hon’ble Commission has taken the following decisions:
The Electricity Department shall try to raise bills to their consumers in the following manner:
- by direct meter reading wherever possible.
- by provisional billing.
The Electricity Department shall extend the due date for payment of electricity bills (including those already raised) where the due dates fall between 24th March, 2020 and June 30, 2020 by further two weeks without Late Payment Sur Charge (LPSC). Provided further that if such extended due date falls beyond 30th June, 2020, it will not be extended beyond 30th June, 2020.
The Commission has powers to modify its tariff orders under Section 62 of Electricity Act 2003. In exercise of this power, Commission has reduced LPSC @ 1% p.m. instead of 2% p.m. as provided in its tariff orders dated 20th May, 2019. This relaxation is purely of temporary nature for the period starting from 24th March, 2020 to 30th June, 2020.
A moratorium on payment of Fixed Charges is provided to all industrial and commercial consumers for the bills raised during the period from 24/3/2020 to 30/6/2020, which they can avail if they so desire. These deferred charges shall be recovered in an equated manner over next three bills to be raised after 30th June, 2020.
For any further enquiry, consumers may contact respective site office telephonically.
Electricity department raising bills by direct meter reading/provisional bill is a good step. However I feel on the spot bill payment also needs to incorporated in the scheme.
I could not pay electricity bills for the month of March due to lockdown. Now if the department raises another bill, but if I cannot go out, it is obvious this bill will also remain unpaid, defeating the very purpose of it.
I therefore, through the esteemed columns of your daily request the concerned authorities that the personnel deployed for meter reading/billing be authorised to accept on the spot payment preferably by non cash methods such as cheque etc since most of us are left with very limited cash in hand. Thus in a single visit meter reading, billing and payment everything could be completed.