RAM KRISHNA Vs. DELHI ELECTRIC SUPPLY UNDERTAKING

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This appeal is directed against order dated 25.3.1997, passed by District Forum, Janakpuri, New Delhi in Complaint Case No.180/1997 - entitled Shri Ram Krishan and Ors. V/s. The General Manager, D. E. S. U.

(2.) The relevant facts, in brief are, that the appellants had filed a joint complaint before the District Forum with the following grievances : (a) that because of frequent load shedding in their area electricity was not available for several hours at a stretch as a result of which education of their children was suffering and they were unable to carry out their daily chores; (b) that the respondent had been sending wrong bills and, as such, the appellants had to waste lot of time standing in queue for rectification of the same in the office of the respondent; (c) that though a separate transformer had been provided for the colony of the appellants yet for getting their complaints registered they had to walk 2 kms. to Milap Nagar Power House of the respondent; (d) that pole Nos.19 and 54 were earlier provided with tube lights, thereafter tubes were replaced by bulbs and now even the bulbs were non-functional, as a result of which the appellants had to face lot of inconvenience at night; (e) that the respondent was liable to pay interest on the security deposit deposited by the appellants with the respondents in respect of their meters; and (f) that as a result of all the inconveniences being faced by the appellants on account of the deficiencies and defaults on the part of the respondent the appellants were entitled to Rs.1,33,225/- as per details enclosed as Annexure 2 to the complaint. Accordingly, the appellants had filed a joint complaint before the District Forum praying for the redressal of their above said grievances.

(3.) The respondent in its reply/written version, filed before the District Forum had raised the preliminary objection that the complaint, filed by the complainants, was not maintainable in view of the fact that the same was of general nature without mentioning any specific details. On merits it was stated that the respondents were providing regular supply of electricity to the colony of the appellants and ever since computerization the bills were prepared regularly and checked before dispatch to the consumer and furthermore the staff had been directed to correct the bill in case of discrepancy without any inconvenience to the public. It was, however, admitted that in the area of Uttam Nagar in the absence of proper municipal numbers, the electricity bills of times could not be delivered at the correct residential address of the consumers, however, the respondent had made ample arrangement for issuance of duplicate bills to such consumers. It was also submitted by the respondent in its reply/written version that the appellants had not furnished any details of the amount of compensation claimed and, as such, the complaint, filed by the complainants, being vague was liable to be dismissed with costs in favour of the respondent.