Chennai: Discrepancies in power bills in the city and suburbs are likely to continue in the next billing cycle as Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation (TNPDCL) field officers in charge of Chennai and Kancheepuram regions have yet to outsource the assessment of household power consumption.TNPDCL issued a circular in Sept directing field officers to engage third-party agencies to assess electricity consumption at doorsteps, to address the shortage of assessors, and provided a detailed how-to, including training the personnel supplied by the selected manpower agencies. The sanctioned strength of assessors to cover 3.5 crore services are 7,565. However, there are only 3,063 assessors, while 4,502 posts, nearly 60%, remain vacant.Due to the shortage, some assessors do not carry out physical meter reading and enter random consumption charges. This has led to wrong assessments and inflated power bills in many areas. Following several such complaints, TNPDCL undertook revised reading of power consumption during last two billing cycles.A month has passed since instructions to outsource the billing, but only a few electricity distribution circles in Coimbatore, Vellore, and a few other districts have already floated open tenders to engage third-party assessors, the circles in Chennai and Kancheepuram, which comprise more than 60 lakh services, have been unsuccessful in awarding contracts to private manpower agencies.T Sadagopan, consumer activist from Pattabiram, urged TNPDCL to look into the matter since it involves welfare of both consumers as well as the discom. “High power bills due to wrong assessment would cause mental agony to consumers with no proper redressal mechanism in place. It would also bring negative image on the discom and state govt. What TNPDCL intended is a good move, but it did not reflect on the field,” he said.A few executive engineers TOI spoke to said they have not been able to finalise the bids yet. “The bidders quote high price which the discom will not be able to spend. Negotiations are still on,” said an executive engineer on condition of anonymity. Lack of availability of qualified manpower is also said to be the reason for the delay in outsourcing of electricity consumption assessment.Meanwhile, S Kannan, state president of the Central Organisation of Tamil Nadu Electricity Employees (COTEE), said that they have decided to approach Madras high court to seek stay on TNPDCL’s move to privatise meter assessment. “It is a breach of labour agreement. Also, the discom intends to increase the workload of third-party assessors and there will not be any takers,” he said.
