New power connections in a month

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, February 18, 2012
: The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) will from now on give a new applicant power connection within 30 days of request.

The Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission on Friday passed an order stipulating this condition on the KSEB. The order comes in the wake of specific complaints of delay in giving power connection, brought to the notice of the commission through consumer petitions.

In a press note, the commission said it had directed the KSEB to simplify procedures for giving power connection. The KSEB should give receipts on receiving applications. If there were deficiencies in the applications, the applicants should be informed about the defects within one week of submitting applications.

The KSEB should also inform applicants within a week about the time needed for providing the connection, the nature of work to be done and the anticipated expense.

The rates fixed by the commission to secure connection should be displayed at the board offices. BPL applicants seeking connected loads below 500 watts and Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe applicants seeking connected loads below 1,000 watts have been exempted from connection fee.

If the estimated cost for the connection is much higher than the stipulated rates, the consumers should be permitted to remit the expenses in 60 monthly instalments. The board was bound to provide the services demanded by the consumers. In the event of any difficulty in providing the services within the prescribed time, the board should explain the reasons to the consumers, said the directive. If the board fails to perform such duties, consumers can move the complaint redressal cell or the ombudsman for compensation, the press release said.

Regulatory commission sets time limit for KSEB following several complaints.