New Delhi, June 19, 2006

Press Release

Customers advocating 50 % payment, agree to pay 100%

• Majority of  protesting Vishwas Nagar and Mayur Vihar-II, Pocket F residents pay up
• In a bid to enlighten customers, cordial meetings being held between RWA

representatives and BSES officials

• All except a handful of customers advocating 50 % bill payment agree to pay 100 %
• BSES has overachieved DERC set AT & C loss reduction targets

BSES once again urges its esteemed consumers not to get mis-led by a few individuals who are indulging in a propaganda which is contrary to the law of the land and in direct contravention of the directives of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission.

Even after sustained propaganda by vested interests, residents continue to pay their electricity bills in full. Even those residents, who had heeded, albeit momentarily, the propaganda call to pay only 50 % of their electricity bills are now paying 100 percent of their bills.  “It is pertinent to note that all except a handful of residents, who had earlier sent 50 % cheques have now  paid their bills in full”, said a BSES official. Cases in point are the residents of Vishwas Nagar and Mayur Vihar Pocket F Phase - II. All the 22 residents of Vishwas Nagar and a majority of the protesting Mayur Vihar –II (Pocket F) residents , who had earlier, submitted cheques of 50 % payment (which were returned by BSES) have in a span of less than 45 days paid their electricity bills in full. The remaining are likely to do soon.

In a bid to enlighten the residents on the mechanics of tariff determination and measures taken by the company to reduce the menace of power theft in its area, cordial meetings between RWA representatives and BSES officials are being continuously held, “The company has returned all the cheque of 50 % payment that were deposited in its various drop boxes” said a BSES spokesperson and added “As per the norms, disconnection notices have also been sent to the defaulting customers”

Cautioning its consumers against some vested interests who advocate payment of 50 % of their electricity bills, a BSES spokesperson said: “BSES has no mandate to receive any payment if a consumer unilaterally deducts 50 % of the billed amount. Each and every consumer has to pay for the energy (electricity) he/she has consumed and as per tariff fixed by the honourable DERC.”

Saying that these peoples’ reason “why should a honest consumer pay for power theft done by others” as skewed and irresponsible, the spokesman said: “The tariff is fixed after considering many parameters, including theft. We would appeal to the consumers to help us eliminate the menace of theft, more so because Delhi, despite our efforts to minimise theft, remains the country’s power theft capital.” It may be mentioned that power theft in Mumbai and many other cities in single digit whereas it is around 35 % in Delhi, down from over 60 % in 2002.

Saying that BSES is committed to minimise power theft, the spokesperson further said: “Since privitisation in July 2002, BSES has undertaken around 38,000 anti-power theft raids and an electricity load of more than 2.10 lakh KW has been booked. BSES has also over achieved the AT & C loss reduction targets as per bid levels – both by minimising theft and through improvements/modernisation of its distribution system. Since the menace of power theft is a social issue, all stakeholders should come together to jointly fight the evil.”

BSES, Delhi’s premier power distribution company, is committed to ensuring quality and reliable electricity supply to all its consumers.  . 

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