Re: [IAC#RG] Press release for Public hearings

Dear IAC subscribers

I am happy to inform our movement that the DERC (Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission) has taken serious note of my email (see below) and kindly granted IAC an urgent special hearing before the Full Commission on this issue.

In case anybody reading this is affected by the private electricity regime in Delhi and wants to convey something worthwhile / substantive to the DERC, please email / reply in next 24 hours.

Sarbajit

On Thu, Jun 27, 2013 at 9:43 PM, Sarbajit Roy <sroy.mb@gmail.com> wrote:

To
Secretary "DERC"

(Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission)

Sir

Date: 28-June-2013

It is indeed a matter of great concern that the DERC is not prepared to grant a hearing, for a statutory process, to a hitherto peaceful apolitical people's movement like "India Against Corruption" (IAC) which is conducting itself in a civilised and decent manner before the Commission.

As the National Convenor of the IAC I would hence like to be immediately informed of the specific reasons why IAC is being repeatedly denied a hearing despite applying (on 22.May.2013) in response to a Public Notice published on the DERC's website and my sending several reminders for the same. This unexplained attitude betrays a great disrespect for IAC on the part of the Commission.

It may be recalled that the IAC had brought a case of blatant public disrespect of the Hon'ble Commission to DERC's notice after it was published on the official website of the Aam Aadmi Party, a registered political party.

Any honest Commission would have initiated suo-moto action against the contemnor on receipt of such a complaint, the DERC did not.

It was on the basis of such unchecked public disrespect for the Hon'ble Commission that the Aam Aadmi Party (in collusion with a certain Discom - the TPDDL) could amass vast sums of money by taking representations (against donations mainly in cash of minimum Rs 250 each) from about 1 million electricity thieves in Delhi to reduce their electricity bills and/or to get themselves regularised.

The DERC granted a special hearing for political parties like Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to consider these irregular representations to regularise electricity thieves in TPDDL's distribution area and get the prescribed fines, penalties and demands waived off.

It is reliably learned from AAP's internal sources that one of the DERC's 2 members facilitated this hearing on instructions of Mr Sandeep Dikshit Congress MP whose Parliamentary constituency falls under BYPL. Curiously no such opportunity was granted for BSES's consumers to get their bills and penalties waived off.

It is curious that these representations which the DERC has forwarded to the Discoms to consider were home delivered to the residence of Mr. Sandeep Dikshit's mother instead of being lodged officially with the "holding company".

It is well known that Mr Arvind Kejriwal, National Convenor Aam Aadmi Party, is an ex-employee of Tatas and is running a public campaign against BSES DISCOMs because BYPL is cracking down on electricity thieves in Mr. Sandeep Dikshit's constituency and Mr. Dikshit openly wants TPDDL there instead.

It is curious that TPDDL took no action against Mr. Arvind Kejriwal for climbing electricity poles OUTSIDE the consumer premises in TPDDL's area and reconnecting (from the pole) their consumers who were either not paying their bills or were stealing power.

It is curious that Mr. Arvind Kejriwal did not get the same degree of cooperation from the BSES DISCOMs and could only "reconnect" the line INSIDE the consumer premises and AFTER the electricity consumption meters in the BSES distribution zones.

It is curious that of the "1 million" representations received from AAP, the bulk of those seeking not to pay their bills are from BSES consumers whereas those seeking to get penalties waived are from TPDDL areas. This is a clear example of a proxy political party being used for anti-competiton in a monopoly market created by the Dikshit family which also has the luxury of appointing its own sectoral regulators.

It is curious that DERC has taken no action against Mr. Arvind Kejriwal for openly stealing and also abetting stealing / UAE within Delhi despite the stringent provisions of the Electricity Act.

It is curious that M/s TPDDL, in their letter dt. 08.03.2013 addressed to Mr. K.M Verma (Jt Dir Law-DERC), said the IAC's complaint bringing the public disrespect of the Chairman DERC by Aam Aadmi Party was "premature". Accordingly IAC applied in response to the DERC's public notice for a statutory hearing which was not granted, whereas a special hearing was held for Aam Aadmi Party and BJP on 03.June.2013.

If it is the case that DERC only grants hearing to political parties like the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party which adopt undemocratic methods against the Hon'ble Commission, then please also take clear notice hereby that "India Against Corruption" people's movement is "2nd to none" when it comes to application of similar methods at a time and place of IAC's convenience.

I await your response.

with best wishes

Er. Sarbajit Roy
National Convenor
India Against Corruption