GUWAHATI:
The linkage of the holding number of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) with the consumer number of Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) is mandatory as the Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC) passed a new order for it on January 17.
In its order, the AERC stated that a GMC holding number is mandatory for any new electricity connections.
“From now power consumers must link their consumer number with their GMC holding number,” Guwahati Mayor Mrigen Sarania said addressing a press conference on January 20.
The AERC has passed the order based on a miscellaneous petition filed by APDCL on November 14 to amend clause 4.2 of the AERC regulations, which includes three documents-the AADHAR, voter identity card, and holding number/assessment number of GMC-as a requirement for new electricity connections. However, this petition was previously denied on December 16, 2022, stating that it was against Electricity (Rights of consumers)( rules 2020.
On January 13, the state government issued a new directive for linking the holding number/assessment number with the consumer number of APDCL to detect ghost customers and improve the database of residing in the GMC area.
Following this directive of the state government, the AERC has decided to amend clause 4.2 of the AERC(Electricity Supply Code) Regulations, 2017.
According to the new provisions under sub-Regulation (1) of Regulation 4.2 (a), the applicant will have to furnish their GMC holding number/ assessment number along with the application, if he/she lives within the area of GMC. The existing consumers living within the area of GMC will have to upload the GMC holding number/assessment number.
In addition to this, temporary connections which will fall under the category of government offices, religious places, street lights, agriculture/ irrigation categories and society connection of apartments will be exempted from furnishing/ linking of holding number/ assessment number.
“We decided to implement the new system from November 1, last year. More than 1.65 lakh holding numbers were linked with electricity consumer numbers. But there were protests from some political parties. It led to confusion among the residents. Now after the AERC order and the state government directive, we are compelled to implement the new system,” Sarania said.
“We have already collected Rs 86 crore property tax from the residents of the GMC area. But some Rs 150 crore are still pending for collection,” Sarania also said.
“3.57 lakh households are holding numbers in the GMC area. Of them, 1.50 lakh have cleared their property tax,” the Mayor said.
“Defaulters may attract penal action as per governing regulation,” he added.