MSEB told to pay a lakh for overcharging

By Rinky Kumar/TNN


Mumbai: For Narendra Narvekar, a nine-year wait for justice got over when the Thane consumer disputes redressal forum recently ordered the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) to pay him over Rs 1 lakh. The money was compensation for mental agony Narvekar underwent after being forced to pay exorbitant power bills since 1997, despite changing his electric meter thrice.

Narvekar, a Vashi resident, approached the forum after registering a complaint of deficiency in service against MSEB. In 1997, Narvekar observed that the electric meter at his residence was running too fast, following which he met an MSEB sub-engineer to complain. The sub-engineer told Narvekar that since the board office had no stock of new meters, he should buy one with his own money. Accordingly, Narvekar purchased a meter and installed it after it was tested by the assistant engineer’s office. The MSEB checked the old meter and submitted a report saying it read up to 7.66% higher than normal.

Narvekar then wrote to the MSEB office at Vashi asking for a rebate to offset the extra cost incurred by him due to the fast-running meter, but his request was ignored.

In January 2001, Narvekar received a bill of Rs 20,000, which he paid. But the second meter too ran faster than normal, prompting Narvekar to request a reduction in the bill by deduction of interest claimed. However, his next bill ran up to Rs 44,060, following which Narvekar reportedly suffered a heart attack and was admitted to Jaslok Hospital. His wife paid the bill. After recovery, he approached the MSEB office and the meter was checked and replaced on August 5, 2001. But the problem persisted. Narvekar approached the office several times for a reduced bill, but in vain.

Finally, he moved the forum and filed a complaint for compensation of Rs 3 lakh for mental agony, Rs 1.46 lakh in damages, Rs 30,827 for medical expenses and Rs 4,000 for the cost of the complaint.

“I have been compelled to pay exorbitant bills for nine years. Why do I have to bear the brunt of the inefficiency of the MSEB officials?’’ Narvekar asked.

The MSEB contested the claim in March 2002 saying a rebate of Rs 2,012.93 had been given to Narvekar in April 1997. Narvekar was given a rebate of Rs 1,294.13 for a six-month period, after a new meter was found to be running fast in November 1999, it added. MSEB also contended that Narvekar had delayed payment causing it to disconnect supply on several occasions.

A bench comprising president Suhas Barve and member Dr A G Sabnis, ruled that MSEB was providing “deficient service’’ to Narvekar as he had to change meters thrice since 1997. While changing the meter, it observed, some officers were “reckless’’. Stating that the claim appeared to be exorbitant, the bench ruled that compensation awarded to Narvekar can be quantified to the tune of Rs 1 lakh.

It observed that as far as claims of damages and medical expenses were concerned, there was nothing to prove MSEB’s liability for Narvekar’s cardiac attack.

The bench ruled that MSEB would have to pay Rs 1 lakh as compensation for mental agony suffered by Narvekar. It will also have to pay Rs 4,000 for litigation costs and issue fresh bills by giving a rebate of 7.66% on bills from 1997 onwards.

Narvekar is hopeful that the MSEB will pay him the compensation.


The Times of India, April 14, 2006