Indian poor pay the price of power and water sector reform

The following three articles show a clear pattern of the costs of privatization which are borne by the poor of our country. - Vinay Baindur

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"Power privatisation model a total failure"
Staff Reporter

Independent audit and CBI probe demanded
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Delhi BJP president lays the blame on the Chief Minister

Entire privatisation process should be reviewed: Bardhan

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NEW DELHI: Cutting across party lines, political leaders at a meeting here on Thursday strongly criticised the privatisation of the power distribution network in the Capital five years ago and proclaimed that the model had proved a failure.

At the meeting attended by residents' welfare associations, activists, power engineers, trade union members, legal experts and technocrats, the participants described the Delhi privatisation model as a "total failure".

"The all-party meeting was an attempt to evaluate the views of all stakeholders of Delhi and see if we agree on the results of the five years of privatisation. Nobody expressed any satisfaction at all," said Sanjay Kaul of People's Action who conducted the meeting.

"Three proposals were put to the floor and all of these were passed unanimously," he said.

Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan spoke disparagingly about almost every aspect of the deal, be it service, billing, fast running meters or power cuts. He pinned the blame on the Chief Minister and accused her of ignoring the consumers' interests.

Communist Party of India general secretary A. B. Bardhan praised the RWAs for having taken the fight to the streets and said a similar agitation must be undertaken to have the entire privatisation process reviewed beginning with the Electricity Act, 2003, which he described as fundamentally flawed.

Congress MLA S.C. Vats said his work as Public Accounts Committee Chairman was to give answers to the citizens about the truth behind the privatisation deal. He said the Electricity Act, 2003, must be reviewed.

The meeting ended with an agreement to put pressure on the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission to review the performance of the past five years through an independent audit and force the Government though agitation to order a CBI probe into the entire deal.

© Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu

Date:10/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/10/stories/2007081059830300.htm

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RWAs complain against inflated power bills Sujay Mehdudia

Delhi Cabinet sentiment reflects the common man's plight

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The RWAs are also exploring the option of taking the matter to court `The power companies have unleashed a trail of terror in a systematic manner'
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NEW DELHI: The "strong sentiment'' expressed by the Delhi Cabinet this past week on the "deteriorating power scenario'' in the Capital is reflective of the sentiments of lakhs of consumers who have been undergoing harassment and mental trauma at the hands of indifferent private power companies and an equally indifferent Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission.

The residents' welfare associations across the city are hardly impressed with the "concern'' shown by the Delhi Cabinet or Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and have termed the decision to summon the heads of Reliance Energy and Tata Power as a ploy to mislead the people of Delhi.

"Why was Mr. Anil Ambani not summoned in June and July when power cuts had peaked? It is nothing but a façade to hide the misdeeds of the power companies who have been vested with unprecedented powers to harass the common man,'' remarked People's Action president Sanjay Kaul, leading a federation of RWAs in protest against the indifferent attitude of the private power companies.

The United Residents Joint Action (URJA), another platform of RWAs, has filed a complaint with the Petitions Committee of the Delhi Assembly headed by senior Congress MLA S. C. Vats on the issue of inflated bills, fast running meters and harassment by the enforcement wings of the private power companies.

The RWAs are also exploring the option of taking the matter to court as they believe it is an infringement of the Fundamental Rights of individuals.

"The power companies have unleashed a trail of terror in a systematic manner. People are being slapped with inflated bills and then with cases of theft. If they do not compromise they are subjected to unending harassment with the Delhi Government and the DERC looking on as mute spectators,'' Mr. Kaul added.

It is no secret that the performance of the power companies has been dismal, but North Delhi Power Limited (NDPL) has done considerably well in comparison. As for the DERC, not only the RWAs but even the Public Accounts Committee of the Delhi Assembly headed by Dr. Vats has come out strongly against it for being ineffective in solving problems relating to the consumers.

The PAC had stated that the DERC had failed to discharge its duties and it should seek the accountability of the power companies rather than act in their interest.

"There is hardly any accountability in the system. We are accountable to the people of Delhi and have to go among the people to seek votes. This should be kept in mind before arriving at any decision,'' said a senior Minister.


© Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu

Date:26/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/26/stories/2006112610800400.htm

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Time-of-day metering in Delhi soon
Staff Reporter


Plan to introduce system draws heavy flak from residents' welfare associations

NEW DELHI: Even as the Delhi Government's Power Department is all set to introduce time-of-day (ToD) metering in the city, residents' welfare associations anticipating a steep increase in electricity charges have sharply criticised the move.

Delhi, which will become the first State in the country to have ToD in the residential sector, will encourage consumers to shift consumption of power from peak to off-peak hours. The incentive to do so will be cheaper rates for power consumed during off-peak hours.

Different tariff slabs

After implementation of ToD metering, there will be different tariff slabs for peak hours, off-peak hours and normal time of the day. Consumers using electricity during peak hours, 6-30 p.m. to 10-30 p.m. will have to pay as much as Rs.6.40 per unit, while off-peak hours, 10-30 p.m. to 6-30 a.m., would have them pay as low as Rs.1.60 per unit.

"We have already had a meeting with the discoms and they have agreed to change the meters to make them compliant with the ToD system. We have been regularly meeting RWAs to explain the concept of ToD metering to them and the response has been good. The Department is now looking forward to the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission's approval," said a senior Power Department official.

The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Management Centre of Delhi Transco Limited had launched the Delhi Energy Efficiency Programme (DEEP) in association with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in May this year to study the consumption pattern in the domestic sector so that a scheme for implementation of ToD system could be introduced.

Pilot project

The metering, which will be started as a pilot project in three localities in the city, has, however, drawn severe all-round criticism from the RWAs, who have sought a meeting with the DERC on the issue."If this proposal is accepted, electricity bills will shoot up by 20 per cent on an average," said M.K. Choudhary, a former official of Delhi Transco.

He further added: "Remember that the electronic meters are configured to record minute power usage — so at peak times, using even your mobile charger will yield higher readings."Pointing out that ToD is a mechanism designed for industry and not retail customers, Sanjay Kaul president of People's Action said: "A factory owner can start a third shift starting midnight if he saves substantially on power rates, but it is very unlikely that a family will stop using appliances of necessity or start having a bath at 4 a.m. just because power is cheaper and they can save on the geyser. The result will be, as we can all imagine, that power bills will shoot up further."



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