Delay in serving power bills through JPDCL irking consumers
Vikas Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 29: Despite the installation of Smart Meters, Jammu Power Development Corporation Limited (JPDCL) has miserably failed to serve the bills after passage of more than four months and this is a reason which is irking the consumers.
Many people informed the Excelsior that though the JPDCL has installed the Smart Meters in the month of July, but they did not receive any bill for the power they used through their Smart Meter for the past four months.
Pertinent to mention here that JPDCL after facing severe criticism, directed its officials for timely billing of smart metered consumers and setting up of helpline numbers to address complaints.
On spot instructions were also issued to the project implementation agency and private vendors to ensure timely billing failing which action shall be initiated against the vendors and also directed the concerned Engineers to immediately set up Helpline numbers for resolution of smart meters related complaints at Sub-divisional level.
Following the instructions, the department has started a customer care centre with 24×7 toll free helpline number 1912, a WhatsApp Number 9419237685 and an e-complaint portal, but all these steps failed to mitigate the grievances of consumers.
Despite the installation of smart meters, which were installed in July the consumers have been failed to get their bills, and are forced to move from one officer to another but all in vain as the department has not prepared the bills.
As per the official sources, there are thousands of consumers, who are waiting to get their bills.
“When the facility was developed, it was claimed that all consumers of Jammu can avail the facility but when the customers started making calls on the number the computer replied, “The lines of this route are busy, please dial after some time”. Even the e-complaint portal which is launched by the department also failed to address the complaint after passage of more than one week time,” said Varinder Sharma, a local resident.
“Whether the helpline numbers are given by JPDCL, only to pat their back or it was actually for customers’ benefits, it seems that it was merely a show off by officials. Every official is shifting his responsibility on the shoulders of their officials and try to evade any query from public,” Sharma added.
Talking to the Excelsior, one of the Nodal officers, on the condition of anonymity admitted that many consumers, where the smart meters were installed are still waiting to get their bills.”
“To register the newly installed Smart Meter is a lengthy process and will take some more time. We are doing our best and are hopeful that the consumers who are yet to receive their bills for the past some months will get their bills in the first week of next month. Till then they have to bear with us as we are also concerned about the problems which are being faced by our consumers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Engineer, PDD, Sandeep Seth, when enquired about the pendency and delay on the Power bills of consumers said, “I will look into this matter on priority.”
He also assured that the consumers who are facing problems due to non-receipt of their bills from past some months should get their bills soon.
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