JAGATSINGHPUR: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) Jagatsinghpur has directed Biridi and Raghunathpur IICs to arrest two staff members of Tata Power Central Odisha Distribution Ltd (TPCODL) under their jurisdiction for failing to appear before the commission despite repeated reminders.
They were instructed to produce the duo before the Commission by January 17, 2022. The direction came after a junior engineer (JE) of TPCODL Biridi section and SDO, electrical under Raghunathpur failed to appear before the commission despite repeated reminders and issue of show cause notices.
Sources said that the power officials had made a routine visit to the house of one Rahemat Ali Khan of Hazipur within Biridi police limits on September 22, 2020 and instructed him to install a new metre in place of the existing one citing fault in it.
Despite Khan putting in a request with the JE of Biridi, power supply to his house was disconnected on September 24.
Frequent visits by Khan for resumption of electricity connection fell on deaf ears, forcing him to file a writ petition with DCRDC on October 6, 2020. He also stated in the complaint that he reportedly was not being given the electricity bills.
Basing his complaint, the commission directed the authorities of TPCODL to restore power supply to Khan’s house after providing him with monthly bills. But neither was electricity resumed to his house nor did the officials of TPCODL attend any of the hearings.
As Khan knocked the doors of DCRDC again alleging negligence on the part of TPCODL, the commission issued a show cause notice to the JE and SDO for failing to appear before the commission on March 15, which is punishable under Section 72 of the Consumer Protection Act 2019.
On April 5, 2021, the commission again directed the power supply company to restore Khan’s power supply till a decision is taken on the case. Although supply was resumed immediately, it was again disconnected on November 29, 2021.
The commission once more asked the officials on December 7 to restore power within three days but no action was taken. The officials also reportedly ignored another show cause notice issued to them on December 13.