BHUBANESWAR: As Covid-19 restrictions have been relaxed and functioning of offices and educational institutions normalised, the demand for physical public hearing of applications by the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) for determination of power tariff for coming financial years is growing louder.
As per the public notice issued by OERC, the hearing of aggregated revenue requirements and tariff applications of power generating, bulk trading, transmission and distribution companies for 2022-23 will commence from February 15 through virtual mode. However, the OERC decision for virtual hearing has not gone well with some of the objectors including industry associations, industries, consumer bodies and individuals.
“With improvement in Covid situation, OERC should have adopted a hybrid mode of physical and online hearing. This will provide an opportunity for wider participation in the tariff proceedings. In normal time, general consumers interested to participate in the tariff proceedings can do so by taking permission of the commission. This is not possible in digital mode,” said co-chairman of UCCI expert committee on Electricity and Power Bibhu Swain.
Expressing his reservation over online hearing of power tariff proceedings, Director of Sundargarh-based Shree Salasar Castings Pvt Ltd Ashok Agarwal said, “Virtual mode has its limitations. Arguing a case in person is something different from presenting the same through a virtual platform.” He said the commission should have allowed the objectors to appear in person in view of the improved situation. In case of disturbance in internet service during submission, the person presenting his case never gets another chance. And this is the end of the matter there.
Arguing in favour of normal hearing, Secretary, National Institute of Indian Labour and President of Upabhakta Mahasangha, Ramesh Chandra Satpathy said OERC is not like a court. “Courts are generally crowded while the number of visitors to OERC during public hearings is very limited. Social distancing could be easily maintained”, he said. Satpathy said the Commission is not ready to face the anger of the stakeholders who have been agitating over unnecessary tariff hikes and some controversial orders passed recently ignoring the interest of the State.