KHNAM vice-president Thomas Passah today said that the frequent breakdown of electricity supply to the citizens of the state is a violation of their rights to electricity by MeECL as provided in the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020 notified by the Union government.
Stating that the Union Ministry of Power has promulgated rules laying down the rights of power consumers in the country, he said that the Union Minister of State for Power and New and Renewable Energy also said, “These rules shall empower the consumers of electricity and added that these tules emanate from the conviction that the power systems exist to serve the consumers and the consumers have rights to get the reliable services and quality electricity.”
He said that distribution companies across the country are monopolies – whether government or private – and the consumer has no alternative, therefore it was necessary that the consumers’ rights be laid down in rules and a system for enforcement of these rights be put in place.
Passah mentioned that the key points in the rules are the rights of consumers and obligations of distribution licensees, reliability of supply, standards of performance of licensee and compensation mechanism.
He also said that, similarly, water shortages are not justified after the consumer has paid the taxes due to the government.
“Frequent disruption of water supply is also a violation of a fundamental right to life of the citizens of the state,” Passah added.
