Consumers make a beeline to Transco camps

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, OCT. 5. The AP Transco commenced consumer week all over the State on Friday, settling the problems of electricity users at special camps manned by teams of officials.

Sub-stations, revenue collection centres and even fuse-of-call offices have been converted into camps for the purpose and where such accommodation is lacking, private premises are being hired.

Reports reaching Vidyuth Soudha from districts said there were long queues of users at the camps. The Energy Minister, Mr K. Subbarayudu, gave a formal launch to the programme by inaugurating a camp at Eluru and in the State Capital, the job was done by the Roads and Buildings Minister, Mr K. Vijayarama Rao, who cut the ribbon for opening a camp at Asifnagar and a consumer service centre at Kukatpalli.

Important announcements useful to consumers came from the Transco on the occasion, the foremost among them being that they can treat the present bi-monthly bills as monthly ones and pay half of the billed amount now and avoid disconnection. They can also make a self-declaration about the consumed units if they are doubtful about the bill amount and clear the bills accordingly but subject to verification by staff. The time during which bills are to be distributed to the consumers has been extended to seven days -- from 23rd day every month, to give the promised 14-day time to consumers for remittance of bills.

At the Asifnagar function which was also attended by Dr A. Rajkumar, MP, Mr D. Nagender, MLA, and Mr K. Narasimha Rao, chairman, Serilingampalli Municipality, the MD of the Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited, Mr T. V. S. N. Prasad, made an on-the-spot announcement to do away with printing of Hyderabad bills by a private company far away in Krishna district. Beyond the consumer week, he said, the permanent Lok Adalat would settle all the revenue-related disputes, sitting every Saturday in the Mint Compound.

The MD also promised to advance the timing of the bill-remittance following a complaint by Mr Nagender.

In Hyderabad-Secunderabad, camps have been set up at all 81 section offices, each with four special counters manned by officials, where the consumer could register complaints relating to billing, commercial, meter problems and operation and maintenance.

The Transco CMD, Mr P. Ramakantha Reddy, said they would have no problem in releasing new services in the domestic sector as they had sufficient number of meters, poles and conductor wires but ruled out such benefit in the agriculture sector beyond the Chief Minister's commitment to regularise the unauthorised services registered during the drive (2.53 lakh) and 50,000 additionally as this year's quota.

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