Electricity Consumer Cells (ECCs) have conducted nine outreach meetings in the month of July in Oragadam (Tiruvallur), Keelamungiladi (Cuddalore), Joseph Matriculation School, Palayamkottai (Tirunelveli), Veeralakshmi School (Salem), Thenmathur & Narthampoodi (Tiruvannamalai), Mutharasanallur & Manamedu (Tiruchirappalli), Arakkonam (Vellore).
The participants included residential consumers, small shopkeepers, farmers and few schools and college students. Mr. Ashokan, Advisor, ECC Tiruvallur explained the objectives of conducting the outreach programme.
Mr. Anandan, Advisor, ECC Tiruvannamalai, informed the participants about functions of ECCs and its office bearers. He discussed a poster designed by CAG on the sanctioning powers for the TANGEDCO officials. i.e., if there is an enhancement of capacity in the transformer it will be sanctioned by the chairman of TANGEDCO. The participants expressed an interest in knowing more details about the poster.
Mr.Sivakumar, Joint Engineer, TANGEDCO had a discussion with the participants about their concerns, for example, frequent power fluctuation during the night time, calculation of the bill amount mentioned in the white meter card.
Mr.Raman, Optimumam Energy SOLAR System, explained basic information such as how sun rays are converted to solar energy with the help of solar panel. He explained the process for installing the rooftop solar, with the help of a solar demo-kit,. During the outreach meetings, 15 consumers expressed interest in installing rooftop solar in their house. The participants clarified their questions on the warranty, guarantee, subsidy, and maintenance of the rooftop solar. The outreach meetings create an opportunity for solar developers to create awareness on solar energy among consumers.
At the end of the session, few participants registered their complaints on 1) Mr.A, from Trichy, registered a complaint on non-availability of the street light post in Manamedu Village, Trichy, for which Mr.Velusami, Advisor, ECC-Trichy, informed the consumer to submit a letter to the local body; 2) Mr.B, domestic consumer registered a complaint about delay in taking meter reading by the assessor in B.Mutlur village, Cuddalore. Mr. Radhakrishan, Advisor, ECC Cuddalore advised the consumer to submit a written complaint to the section office about the complaint with the photocopy of the white meter card; 3) Mr.C, from Arakkanom, said they had received a pamphlet from the Assessor “to pay the additional security deposit”. Mr. Jayapal, Advisor, ECC-Vellore, gave an example of the calculation of security deposits.