Newsletter dated  5th  June 2006 :  for distribution to all Delhi RWA Chiefs

Payment of 50% of bills starts: Mayur Vihar Phase III RWA became the first RWA to start deposition of bills after deducting 50% of the bill as a protest against being charged for the theft in other areas of Delhi. Mayur Vihar was followed by Vishwas Nagar RWA that followed suit with similar deductions and at the time of printing this newsletter Sheikh Sarai RWA in South Delhi had also started depositing half-payments as aa protest against this unfair levy.

Letters to DERC and Power Minister: Letters seeking responses to why honest consumers should pay for the dishonest and why theft losses should be recovered from the innocent to the Chairman DERC and the Power Minister have got no response. It is shocking that an agency set up to protect consumer rights is being silenced into taking sides of private parties while the entire Government machinery watches like a mute witness.

DISCOMS offer to reduce tariff: DERC says No? According to press reports NDPL has offered to reduce tariff owing to unprecedented profits and reduction of losses but inspite of our writing on his subject to the DERC, the regulator has remained silent. At a recent gathering, Mr.Gujral of Rohini CGHS federation gave the reason why: he said that when they brought the point to the attention of DERC, the DERC suggested that the tariff cannot be altered because the DISCOMS have been given an irrevocable agreement which guarantees tariff hikes for five years continuously! [Pl. see attached news item along with NDPL ad. Attached herewith]

Legal points of view: Legal experts are already examining this case and they believe that while our case is very strong due to the document issued by the Chief secretary which clearly spells out this policy, RWAs must first create enough numbers to make up a Public Interest Litigation strong [PIL]. It has therefore been decided to mobilise all residents against this gross injustice of squeezing honest consumers to benefit the dishonest by overcharging them on tariff rates.

Even DISCOMS say it openly: See the attached advertisement by NDPL. It says clearly that you are paying for the theft of others. We are amazed at this policy which is completely uncivilised and against any sense of justice or law. The only reason this has continued is because we were never well informed of the practice. But now with the official document released by the Power Secretary [for a copy of the original document, pl contact the undersigned] this covert policy has been exposed for all residents to see.

Roshan Seth asks, “Do you have excess money “? That was the question raised by film actor Roshan Seth at a recent press conference to journalists. He said he did not have excess money and he was not willing to pay for the theft of a dishonest man in some other part of Delhi. Roshan Seth has since joined this campaign and paid only 50% of the bill and challenged the DISCOMS to take action against him!

Aaj Tak introduces new channel: Aaj Tak has started a new 24-hour special Dilli Aaj Tak channel on issues concerning people in Delhi and NCR. They have requested us for assistance to organise various programmes for RWAs in their areas. Interested RWAs may contact us if they are interested in discussing specific issues of their concern in their own areas. Pl. contact Pankaj Gupta on  9810017868 for this.

DISCOMS must not interfere in the 50% campaign: URJA has been successful in convincing the DISCOMS to extend full cooperation to the campaign to pay 50% less after some RWAs reported that they had refused to accept the amounts. In a recent meeting with DISCOMS it was explained that residents have a right to protest and that this pressure was necessary to get the government to respond to the burning issue of theft. DISCOMS have been maintaining that tariff fixation is the responsibility of the DERC but Electricity laws prove that there can be no tariff fixation by DERC unless DISCOMS file ARRs which in fact establish revenue formats which in turn determine tariff structures. However it is hoped that it has now been understood by DISCOMS that this campaign is targeted at the government that allowed such agreements in the fist place and that they must not interfere between the citizen and the state.

The reservation issue and RWAs: URJA took initiative to extend support to the students agitating against the reservation issue as most residents were of the opinion that the policy was harmful to national interest and merit based education system. The matter is now in the SC and a decision is expected in two months time.