Thiruvananthapuram: The KSEB has decided to implement the Right to Service Act 2012 in its offices. The next time a line breakdown is not rectified within 12 hours, the affected consumers can demand Rs 25 from the KSEB. Or if a new connection or additional load is not provided within one month of application, the applicant can demand Rs 50 for each day of default from the board.
“We have appointed a nodal officer to look into the matters related to the implementation of the Act,” KSEB chairman M. Shivshankar said. The implementation would be a smooth affair as the board is already bound by a set of regulations put in place by the supply code and the Electricity Regulatory Commission.
However, the regulations remain only on paper. “The public are generally unaware of their rights,” said A.R. Satheesh of HT-EHT Association.
“The rules framed under the Act say that relevant information on the services, time limit, designated officers, first appellant authority and second appellant authority are to be displayed on the notice board of the various offices of the board,” a top KSEB official said. All documents that are requested to be enclosed with the application for receiving the service and forms appended to the rules are also to be displayed.
KSERC chairman T.M. Manoharan said that programmes would be held across the state to make the public aware of their rights vis-a-vis the power utility.
