No. H. 11019/27/12 – JERC

JOINT ELECTRICITY REGULATORY COMMISSION

FOR MANIPUR AND MIZORAM

AIZAWL : MIZORAM

 

TBL Bhawan, 2nd – 5th Floor

E-18, Peter’s  Street, Khatla,

Aizawl, Mizoram – 796001

0389- 2333625 (O)

0389- 2335523/2336299 (F)

Website: www.jerc.mizoram.gov.in

Email: jerc.mm@gmail.com

                                                                                                                                         Dated Aizawl, the 15th January, 2014.

 

MINUTES  OF  THE  13th  MEETING OF THE STATE ADVISORY  COMMITTEE OF MIZORAM

                       Venue                 :       I&PR Department Conference Hall, Aizawl, Mizoram

Date & Time    :       5th December, 2013 from 11:00 a.m.

 

List of participants is enclosed.

 

            Mr. A.Chhawnmawia IDES (Rtd.) Chairperson for Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for Manipur and Mizoram and Chairman State Advisory Committee of Mizoram took the chair and welcomed the Members of the Committee to the 13th SAC Meeting. Mr.N.Shyamsundar Singh, Member of the Commission was also on the dais with the Chairman.

 

            Item wise Agenda was taken up by the Chairman as below:

 

  1. Confirmation on the Minutes of the 12th Meeting of SAC Mizoram:

The Chairman requested the Members of the Committee to comment on the minutes of the 12th SAC meeting and after obtaining nod from the Members the minutes of the Meeting, declared the minutes as confirmed.

 

  1. 5 years Service of Regulatory Commission and the Power Sector:

The Chairperson initiated the Agenda and informed the Members that the Commission was constituted by the Government of India with the consent of the participating states of Manipur and Mizoram, and it came into existence on 24th January, 2008. He further informed the Meeting that the Commission had made 22 numbers of Regulations which have been notified in the official Gazettes of both the States, Manipur and Mizoram. During the last five years, Consumer Awareness Campaign has been organised by the Commission through its empanelled NGOs in both the states of Manipur and Mizoram. Tariff Order has been issued keeping in mind the interests of the Consumer and the Licensee. The Commission has been trying to translate the suggestions made by the State Advisory Committee into reality by issuing various advisory notes and orders to both the Government and the Department. Consumer grievances redressal mechanism has been designed and intimated to the Departments for necessary adoption. Standard of Performance of the utilities are also closely monitored regularly.

Intra State Electricity trading licence has been issued to M/S Eternity Partners which is a path breaking reality showing the way forward in the power sector reforms in Mizoram. After giving the brief report, the Chairman requested Mr. F.Rualzakhuma, CE (RE) representing Engineer-in-Chief, P&E Dept. to give a brief report on the impact of power sector reform being undertaken by the Department. The CE stated that vast improvement has been made by the Department with the directions of the Commission but could not fully comply as the Power & Electricity Department is still a State Government’s Department. The Department has been taking all steps for further improvement of the Power Sector in the state. He further added that the Department is facing great hardship due to lack of manpower in the Department, as nearly 30% of the sanctioned posts are lying vacant

 

Pu _ Sailo, Secretary, MCU requested the CE to highlight on the proposed World Bank Project funding to be undertaken by the Department. The Chief Engineer informed the Committee that this World Bank Project is for strengthening of Transmission and Sub-Transmission System in Mizoram. The Detailed Project Report is under consideration by the Government of Mizoram.

 

The Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department requested the Chairman to give advance notice before holding of Meeting and for proposing of Agenda Items to be discussed in the Meeting by members and further enquired what are the issues taken up within the consumer awareness campaign. The Chairman answered that advance notice with proposal for submission of agenda items will be done from now onwards and further informed that consumer awareness campaign are being taken up by the Commission and also with the help of empanelled NGOs on electricity matters.

 

Pu Vanlalruata, General Secretary, CYMA informed the Committee that the Department is yet to take up vital issues regarding putting off street lights during day time and requested the Department to install some system in this regard. The CE, P&E replied that timers are installed in the street lights but due to defective controller and lack of manpower sometimes the street lights remain on even during day time.

 

Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department enquired about the arrangement in place for receiving complaints. Mr N.Shyamsundar Singh, Member of the Commission highlighted the details of the Consumer Grievances Redressal Mechanism, which has IGRC at the lowest level, CGRF at the middle and Electricity Ombudsman in the Commission. The complaints are received by the Department at the IGRC through written/telephone calls etc. and the grievances are required to be redressed within a time schedule. The Members are of the opinion that the publicity drive is required on this matter. The CE informed that due to fund constraint much publicity could not be done. Pu _ Sailo, MCU stated that if the Department is having fund constraint, it can issue the information through the IPR as press release with the request to the newspapers in Mizoram for voluntary dissemination of the above information in the public interest and also felt that involvement of NGOs would be helpful.

 

Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department requested the Department to clarify on the high rent charges on transformers, to which the CE informed that this is as per the Government Order.

 

Pu Lalliantluanga SE, PHE Department informed the Committee that the tariff of public water is too high. Since water is an essential commodity the high tariff may be kept low in future Tariff Orders. In this matter, the Chairman informed the Member that the Tariff petition of Mizoram has been submitted by the P&E Department to which Public Hearing and SAC Meeting will be held and requests the PHE Department to participate and give their views at appropriate time.

 

Pu Vanlalruata, General Secretary CYMA informed the Committee that generation of power through hydro is very good and Mizoram has lots of hydro power potential, even than also he suggested that alternative source of power should be sought for so that Mizoram does not depend solely on hydro power. Mr.N.Shyamsundar Singh further commented that the next SAC Meeting will be on determination of Tariff and requested all the members to actively participate in the Public Hearing which will be held sometime in February 2014.

 

Recommendations & Suggestions:

  1. Though the Department has improved much in the power management in the state, more is yet to be done by them and they should try to improve their service to the consumers at all times and also to seek for additional purchase of power during the lean period in consultation with the Government..

 

  1. Periodical issue of circular / information through the mass media on the setting up Internal Grievances Redressal Cell and Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum may be done by the Department regularly.

 

 

  1. The Department should seek further source of power generation in the state and not concentrating fully on hydro generation only.

 

  1. The proposed World Bank Project funding on augmentation and strengthening of transmission line should be taken up without further delay and sanction from the World Bank be obtained at the earliest for the speedy power development in the state of Mizoram.

 

           

The Meeting ended at 1:45 pm with a vote of thanks to the Chair.

 

 

 

 

Sd/- A.CHHAWNMAWIA

Chairperson

State Advisory Committee

Mizoram

 

Memo No.H.11019/27/12-JERC            :                                                                            Dated Aizawl, the 13th January, 2014.

 

Copy to:

  1. P.S to Hon’ble Chief Minister, i/c P&E Department, Govt. of Mizoram for kind information to the Hon’ble Chief Minister.
  2. PS to Secretary, P&E Department, Govt. of Mizoram  for kind information to the Secretary and for taking necessary action on the Minutes of the Meeting.
  3. All Members / Special Invitee / Invitees of the State Advisory Committee for kind information and for taking necessary action on the Minutes of the Meeting.
  4.  Guard File.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sd/- RICHARD ZOTHANKIMA

   Assistant Secretary