Electricity department will hold public meeting every two months: CM

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday directed the power department to hold public meeting across Gurugram once in two months to resolve residents’ complaints

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday directed the power department to hold public meeting across Gurugram once in two months to resolve residents’ complaints.

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The power department will have to declare the date and time in advance to allow people the opportunity to have their grievances heard.

The chief minister issued these orders while addressing a complaint during a grievance redressal meeting.

“Power supply has improved since 2014. For making electricity consumption transparent smart meters are being installed. It would help in resolving billing-related issues. However, if people have doubts about the smart meter reading, they can get their meters checked at a lab,” said Khattar.

In the last few months, several complaints have been reported in different localities about inflated power bills and smart meter readings.

“The power loss through electricity lines which was almost 34% in the state has reduced to almost 17%. Even the subsidy on electricity which would cost nearly ₹7000 crore to the state exchequer has now come down to ₹6000 crore,” said the minister

In Friday’s meeting, at least 14 complaints were placed before the CM, including three forwarded from the previous month’s meeting. Khattar ordered FIRs in two cases related to violation of norms in running a hot mix plant in Farukhnagar and construction of a building in New Colony despite both being sealed.

“Legal action will be taken against the offenders. The Haryana State Pollution Control Board should impose penalty and file a FIR against the hot mix plant for unsealing the factory and resuming work,” said Khattar. For controlling the air pollution during winter months, the hot mix plants were directed to remain shut. But violating the norms plant kept on functioning.

In another case of continuing the construction work in a sealed building which failed to follow the construction norm, CM ordered legal action. During the meeting, relocation of land owners from five villages – Garhouli, Khurd, Harsaru, Mohammed pur, Khandsa and Narshinghpur – whose land were acquired under Special Economic Zone (SEZ) by the state industrial body in 2006 was also raised. Complainants raised the issue of getting unfair compensation. Khattar asked the officials to submit the report and said that the compensation amount will be calculated again and even if the land owners are unhappy, they can approach the court.

Other issues like construction of park on a residential land, illegal encroachments in village Bajghera and water connection in sector104 were also discussed in the meeting.