Chennai, July 20 (IANS) Amid mounting public complaints over unusually high electricity bills, the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) has ordered a statewide crackdown on billing errors, directing its field officials to ensure accurate assessments and warning that disciplinary action will be initiated against those responsible for issuing faulty bills.
The move comes as growing consumer resentment over inflated bi-monthly bills, delayed meter readings and complaints about denial of the government’s free electricity benefit threatens to turn into a political challenge for the TVK-led government.
In an internal circular issued to all Superintending Engineers, TNPDCL has instructed officials to strengthen billing verification, intensify field inspections and establish clear accountability at every level to prevent billing mistakes, reduce consumer grievances and safeguard the utility’s revenue.
The corporation noted that repeated consumer complaints and inspection reports had exposed serious deficiencies in the billing process.
According to the circular, incorrect meter readings, defective meters and procedural lapses have resulted in inflated bills being issued to domestic consumers.
The Director (Finance) had also flagged recurring instances of abnormal billing in several distribution sections, warning that such errors were affecting both customer confidence and the financial health of the utility.
TNPDCL said inspections revealed inadequate supervision by revenue supervisors, assessment supervisors, assistant accounts officers and other assessment staff.
It also found that inspections at the electricity distribution circle level were insufficient and that defective meters often remained undetected for long periods, allowing billing errors to continue until consumers raised complaints.
The corporation observed that these shortcomings persisted despite repeated instructions from its headquarters to improve billing accuracy and consumer service. To address the issue, the utility has directed all circles to conduct periodic surprise inspections and large-scale verification drives.
Assessment staff has been instructed to carefully scrutinise meter readings, while the performance of inspection officials will be monitored and reviewed regularly.
Superintending Engineers have also been asked to fix responsibility on officers at the circle, division and sub-division levels to ensure prompt, transparent and consumer-friendly billing.
Employees’ unions, however, blamed the recurring problems on severe manpower shortages rather than negligence.
S. Kannan, president of the Central Organisation of Tamil Nadu Electricity Employees, said nearly 60 per cent of the 7,565 assessor posts and about 42 per cent of the 3,961 inspector of assessment posts remain vacant.
As a result, inspectors are often forced to undertake meter reading duties, while revenue supervisors are diverted for bill collection.
He said increasing dependence on outsourced meter readers has further contributed to billing inaccuracies.
A senior TNPDCL official said the utility has initiated measures to fill the vacancies and is examining the possibility of deploying field assistants for meter reading until regular recruitment is completed.
–IANS
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