Grievance Redressal
Forums and Ombudsman
According to Sec 42(5) of the Electricity Act,
2003, Distribution Licensees are to establish
Forum for redressal of grievances of the consumers
in accordance with the guideline as specified by the
State Commission.
Sec 42(6)&(7) of the aforesaid Act stipulates that
:-
(6). Any consumer, who is
aggrieved by non-redressal of his grievances
under sub-section (5), may make a representation
for the redressal of his grievance to an
authority to be known as Ombudsman to be
appointed or designated by the State Commission.
(7). The Ombudsman shall settle the grievance of
the consumer within such time and in such manner
as may be specified by the State Commission.
In exercise of above-mentioned
statutory powers, the OERC has framed a Regulation
namely, Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission
(Grievances Redressal Forum and Ombudsman)
Regulations, 2004. It has also issued Circulars and
orders under the said Regulation. Some important
regulations e.g. 4, 7 and 17 and the Circulars,
which are more relevant to consumer, are given
below.
A. Filing a Complaint at GRF
A complainant aggrieved by any action or
lack of action by the engineer under the OERC
Distribution (Condition of Supply) Code, 2004,
may file a complaint in writing before the Forum
for the redressal of his grievances after
expiring of 15 days from the time limit fixed by
the licensees in their Complaint Handling
Procedure. The said complaint shall be in
writing and the Forum may not insist any format
for such filing. Few examples of the nature of
the complaint are illustrated below:
i) New Connection
ii) Disconnection/Reconnection of Supply
iii) Voltage fluctuation
iv) Contract demand/Connected load
v) Billing disputes (except penal bill u/s 126
of the Electricity Act, 2003)
vi) Interruptions
vii) Metering (except dispute regarding accuracy
of the matter)
viii) Classification/Re-classification of
consumer
ix) Shifting of service connection/Diversion of
lines and shifting of equipment
x) Transfer of consumer ownership
xi) Agreement/Termination of agreement
xii) Security deposit
xiii) Installation of equipment and apparatus of
the consumer
xiv) System of supply including guaranteed
standards of performance.
The Forum shall entertain those
complaints, which are under its territorial and
statutory jurisdiction.
The Forum shall not generally entertain any
complaint, which under the Electricity Act, 2003, is
required to be disposed off by the other authorities
like Appellate Authority, Adjucating Officer,
Electrical Inspector, the Commission, Appellate
Tribunal for Electricity, Special Court, Arbitrator
etc. However, the Forum may send back the complaint
to the appropriate authority with suitable remarks,
if any.
A person, aggrieved by Assessment
order passed under Sec. 126 of the Electricity Act,
2003 for unauthorized use of electricity, should not
file his complaint before the Forum. Rather, he
should appeal to Appellate Authority under Sec. 129
of the Act.
The Forum may not insist on any format for filing of
complaints and may seek necessary information as
detailed below from the complainant for quick
disposal of the complaint, if not provided.
i) The name and detailed address
of the complainant.
ii) The local office, designation and detailed
address of the officer, against whose
action/inaction, the complaint is being filed.
iii) The facts of the complaint (may enclose
copy of the latest representation to the
concerned officer of the Licensee; action taken
or inaction).
iv) Relief sought for.
v) Any interim relief sought for, pending final
decision.
The Forum shall decide the complaint
expeditiously and shall communicate its decision to
the Complainant within a period not exceeding 45
days of the receipt of the Complaint by the Forum.
The Forum shall give the reasons in support of its
decisions.
The Commission shall have the general power of
superintendence and control over the Forum and the
Forum shall duly comply with such directions as the
Commission may issue from time to time.
B. Representation to
Ombudsman
Any consumer aggrieved by the non-redressal
of the grievance by the Forum, may make a
representation to the respective Ombudsman
within 30 days from the date of the decision of
the Forum or within 30 days from the date of the
expiry of the period within which the Forum was
required to take decision and communicate the
same to the Complainant.
The Ombudsman shall decide the
representation generally within 60 days from the
date of the receipt of the representation of the
consumer. In the event the representation is not
decided within two months, the Ombudsman shall
record the reasons thereof including the cost to
be paid by the Licensee if the inability to
decide within the time is attributable to the
Licensee. In case the delay is for reasons
attributable to the consumer, the Ombudsman may
reject the representation of the consumer.
C. Implementation of Orders /
Awards
Any order / award passed or direction issued
by Ombudsman shall be implemented or complied
with by the licensee or the person required by
the order or direction to do so. Failure to
implement or comply with such order or direction
shall amount to contravention of these
Regulations for the purpose of Section 142 of
the Act.
Sec 142 of the Electricity Act,
2003 stipulates that:
Punishment for
non-compliance of direction by Appropriate
Commission: - In case any complaint
is filed before the Appropriate Commission by
any person or if that Commission is satisfied
that any person has contravened any provisions
of this Act or rules or regulations made
thereunder, or any direction issued by the
Commission, the Appropriate Commission may after
giving such person an opportunity of being
heardin the matter, by order in writing, direct
that, without prejudice to any other penalty to
which he may be liable under this Act, such
person shall pay, by way of penalty, which shall
not exceed one lakh rupees for each
contravention and in case of a continuing
failure with an additional penalty which may
extend to six thousand rupees for every day
during which the failure continues after
contravention of the first such direction.
In compliance to the provisions of
the aforesaid Regulations, the Distribution
Licensees i.e, WESCO, NESCO, SOUTHCO and CESU have
established Forums in their respective area of
supply and Commission has established office of
Ombudsman for each of the Licensees. The addresses
and telephone no, of these Forums and offices of
Ombudsman are given below:
|
CESU |
|
Address of Ombudsman /
GRF |
Telephone No. of
Ombudsman / GRF |
|
The Ombudsman (I & II), Qrs. No. 3RS/2, Gridco Colony) P.O: Bhoi Nagar Bhubaneswar - 751022 |
0674-2543825 |
|
The President Grievances
Redressal Forum, Bhubaneswar, (CESU) II
Floor, OMFED Building, Sahidnagar,
Bhubaneswar-7. |
0674-2545686 |
|
The President Grievances
Redressal Forum, (CESU) Bhubaneswar
Electrical Circle, No. II, At Quarter No.
3R/1, T.L.C. Colony, Under K.E.D., Khurda,
Pin – 752055. |
06755-221529 |
|
The President Grievances
Redressal Forum, Cuttack, 2RB-37, CESCO
Colony, Badambadi,PO: Arundeo Nagar, Dist-Cuttack.
|
0671-2322685 |
|
The President Grievances
Redressal Forum, Dhenkanal, (CESU) Near
Fisheries Office, Kunjakant,
Dhenkanal-759001. |
06762-227527 |
|
The President Grievances
Redressal Forum, Paradeep, (CESU) AT-Pitambarpur,
PO- Bhut-Mundai,Via-Kujang,
Dist-Jagatsinghpur. |
0671-2377071 |
|
NESCO |
|
Address of Ombudsman /
GRF |
Telephone No. of
Ombudsman / GRF |
|
The Ombudsman (I & II), Qrs. No. 3RS/2, Gridco Colony) P.O: Bhoi Nagar Bhubaneswar - 751022 |
0674-2543825 |
|
The President, Grievances
Redressal Forum, Balasore, (NESCO) Near Kali
Mandir, Vivekananda Marg,
Balasore-756001. |
06782-325890 |
|
The President Grievances
Redressal Forum, Jajpur Road, (NESCO)T.T.S.
Colony, DhabalagiriPo- Sobra, Dist - Jajpur.
Pin Code – 755 019. |
06726-224668 |
|
WESCO |
|
Address of Ombudsman /
GRF |
Telephone No. of
Ombudsman / GRF |
|
The Ombudsman (I & II), Qrs. No. 3RS/2, Gridco Colony) P.O: Bhoi Nagar Bhubaneswar - 751022 |
0674-2543825 |
|
The President Grievances
Redressal Forum, Burla, (WESCO) Qtr No. SD
6/2 Near N.A.C Collage, Burla
Dist-Sambalpur.
Pin Code-768017. |
0663-2432839 |
|
The President Grievances
Redressal Forum, Rourkela, (WESCO)
Electrical Circle Office, Q-2, Rourkela
Civil Township, Rourkela-769004. |
0661-2400963 |
|
The President Grievances
Redressal Forum, Bolangir, (WESCO)Wesco
Guest House (Infront of Children’s Park),
Bolangir - 235741. |
06652-235741 |
|
SOUTHCO |
|
Address of Ombudsman /
GRF |
Telephone No. of
Ombudsman / GRF |
|
The Ombudsman (I & II), Qrs. No. 3RS/2, Gridco Colony) P.O: Bhoi Nagar Bhubaneswar - 751022 |
0674-2543825 |
|
The PresidentGrievances
Redressal Forum, Berhampur, (SOUTHCO)Near De
Paul School, Engineering School
Road,Berhampur-760010 |
0680-2296176 |
|
The PresidentGrievances
Redressal Forum, Jeypore, (SOUTHCO)Power
House ColonyJeypore, Dist-Koraput. |
06854-250610 |
|
|