CAG in association with the Consumer Protection Association, Agartala is working on a project “Accelerating Clean Energy Transition By Improving Stakeholder Participation For Electricity Governance In India” in Tripura. The project aims to empower consumers and civil society organisations to participate in the electricity sector.
Consumer Protection Association will set up local electricity forums in the state of Tripura as part of the initiative. A local electricity forum is a platform where stakeholders in a specific region or community come together to discuss issues, concerns, and ideas related to the electricity sector. The local electricity forum holds monthly meetings as an essential activity to discuss and address electricity-related matters within the community. The aim is to create dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge sharing among various stakeholders, including consumers, civil society organisations and Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL).
Common points discussed during the meetings held on May 9, 2024 and May 25, 2024 are as follows:
G.N. Bharath Ram, Researcher from CAG, provided a brief explanation of the project and emphasized the significance of community participation in addressing energy issues. The project is expected to significantly improve electricity governance in Tripura. The forums aim to raise awareness and encourage a shared responsibility for local energy decisions. The success of the forums depends on involving and empowering local communities, promoting dialogue on energy-related issues, and advocating for sustainable energy choices.
Mr. Amrit Lal Saha, President of the Consumer Protection Association, provided an overview of Tripura's electricity situation. He mentioned that Tripura currently possesses enough generating capacity to meet the peak demand for electricity. Despite having the capacity, some parts of the state have uninformed power cuts and load-shedding which distress the consumer. Mr. Saha emphasized that the installation of air conditioners and geysers has resulted in a significant rise in electricity consumption. Current electricity bills are very high when compared to previous generation electricity bills
TSECL (Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited) officials have been cordially invited to participate in the meetings. The primary objective is to create a dialogue with consumers and address any electricity-related challenges. This engagement provides an opportunity to directly communicate issues to the TSECL officials and work towards finding solutions via the electricity forum.
Local Electricity Forum meeting at Bishalgarh, Sepahijala district:
The first local electricity forum meeting took place on May 9, 2024, with a total of 25 participants representing both domestic and commercial consumer categories. During the meeting, participants engaged in lively discussions and posed insightful questions regarding electricity-related concerns within their community.
Participants at the Bishalgarh meeting
The meeting addressed the common grievances in their area. Among the 15 grievances discussed were frequent power outages and problems related to the meters. One of the participants from the meeting volunteered to bring together consumers in the Bishalgarh block to take up the electricity-related challenges to the DISCOM.
Participant and local resident, expressing her views on the electricity forum meeting
Examples of complaints received during the meeting:
- Mr.A asked about the procedure for changing from prepaid payment to postpaid payment of electricity billing for the domestic service connection.
- Mr.B reported a delay in restoring electricity supply following a power cut. Despite reaching out to TSECL officials, there has been no prompt response.
- Ms. C had submitted an application to TSECL for the name transfer of the service connection two months ago. However, the application is yet to be processed, and the status has not changed.
Local Electricity Forum meeting at Telimura, Khowai district:
The second local electricity forum meeting took place on May 25, 2024, with 20 participants representing domestic consumers. During the meeting, participants raised several inquiries regarding prepaid meter subscriptions, issues with meter displays, and late payment charges. The gathering facilitated lively discussions, where participants shared solutions based on their own experiences. During the meeting, 12 participants registered their grievances in a complaint form circulated.
Mr.Saha, expressing his views on the electricity forum meeting
Participants from the Telimura meeting
Examples of complaints received during the meeting:
- Mr. X complained about frequent voltage fluctuations, particularly low voltages at night, causing basic appliances such as fans and tube lights to function improperly.
- Ms. Y, who has finished building her house, was refused a domestic service connection due to insufficient documentation. She mentioned that she had submitted all the required documents online and paid the necessary fees, yet the service connection was not provided.
Local Electricity Forum meeting at Belonia town, South Tripura district:
The third local electricity forum meeting occurred on July 13, 2024, with 25 attendees representing both domestic and commercial consumers. The meeting fostered lively discussions, with participants expressing a keen interest in learning more about the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020.
Participants discussing about the uptake of forming an electricity forum
The DISCOM official gave a comprehensive presentation on the electricity sector and how TSECL has effectively managed peak demand during the summer. He also highlighted that TSECL is committed to addressing consumer grievances at all times. A toll-free number (1912) has been established for registering and promptly resolving complaints without causing any inconvenience to consumers.
DISCOM representative addressing the participants
At the meeting, 12 participants registered their grievances in the complaint forms. The DISCOM official guided the participants regarding the complaints and the anticipated timeframe for resolution.
Grievance redressal mechanism followed:
During the meetings, Mr. Saha acknowledged the grievances raised and assisted the complainants in submitting written complaints to the TSECL section offices. He assured them that the grievances would be addressed promptly, and he also mentioned that he would communicate the importance of promptly dealing with complaints to the TSECL officials.
Feedback:
The participants recognized the importance of these meetings, which seek solutions to critical issues and disseminate valuable information to the community. Furthermore, they unanimously decided to meet every month to engage in substantive discussions about concerns that impact the community as a whole. Overall, the consumers believe that the forums will serve as an effective platform for fostering dialogue and empowering local communities.