Noida: In a two-page letter addressing divisional executive engineer with power distribution company in the city, residents of Gaur Sportswood, a highrise in Sector 79, Noida, demanded strict action against the society's developer for flouting the state electricity regulatory commission’s guidelines.
As per the guidelines, deduction of money from prepaid meters' accounts other than power tariff is not permitted. They said the developer has not stopped deducting common area maintenance charges from the account of individual consumers (residents) despite getting notice to comply with the guidelines.
Prepaid electricity reading meters, a mechanism under which residents have to make payment in advance for accessing uninterrupted power supply to their homes, were installed for each flat in the society. It is being controlled by the developer.
Due to this, the developer deducts the common area maintenance charge from balance available in consumers' accounts, residents informed. They said that a huge problem arises when the developer deducts the common area charge and the account gets finished. It forces them to either make payment or face supply disruption.
Taking these issues into concern, residents lodged a complaint with PVVNL, a power distribution company in Noida. In the complaint, residents requested PVVNL to direct builders to stop collection of CAM charge (common area maintenance charge) from prepaid meters' accounts.
The residents also urged the officer to consider their request for converting the single point connection to multipoint power supply connection.
Sanwarjeet Singh, a resident of the society said, “In one to one conversation with the concerned officer, I was told that apartment owner association does not exist in the society, forcing him (official) to talk with the developer only.”
On receiving complaints from residents, the power distribution company served notice to the developer earlier. It told the developer that reduction of amount of money as payment of common area charges from prepaid meter's accounts is in violation to the guidelines. It also sought a report of an audited account of the developer distributing power among residents in the society.
