RWAs demand immediate end to Distcoms' contractor system

New Delhi, Mar 30 (UNI) Resident Welfare Associations across the city today demanded 'withdrawal' of the practice of hiring sub-contractors by private electricity distribution companies to 'execute' their work.

''This is a convenient methodology of evading responsibility by which such companies hire groups which mainly comprise of musclemen or toughs form various localities,'' said Mr V N Bali, President of Ram Vihar RWA in East Delhi, where BSES Yamuna had created terror among residents.

RWAs had been complaining about the excesses committed by these hired goons under the 'label' of the contractor.

''We have received complaints under ten specific heads, starting from forced entry, rude behaviour and foul language, intimidation of residents particularly womenfolk of the house, harassment of senior citizens, threats, fake billing, meter tampering, meter reading advancement and pilferage with a view to create grounds for power theft,'' said Mr Atul Goyal, West Delhi Coordinator of United Residents Joint Action, a confederation of over 700 RWAs across Delhi.

RWAs had been under pressure from residents to find a way of stopping unscrupulous contractors under the guise of a Distcom label to harass and mistreat bonafide consumers.

''It is strange that Distcoms want consumers to ascertain the bonafides of their contractors when they themselves are not willing to hire them as regulars,'' said Mr Sandeep Dutta Gupta from Chittaranjan Park in South Delhi reacting to advisory released by the Distcoms in the regard.

Mr Ravinder Singh, activist and power sector expert, said Distcom did not show such people as employees so that they were unable to claim employment benefits and instead paid on ''per hit'' basis.

''Through this system, they induce contractors to indulge in all kinds of malpractices as long as their aims are met, be it forcible replacement of meters, on the spot settlement of inflated bills etc,'' he said.

''Even Grievance Redressal Cells are unable to come to terms with the volume of complaints piling up,'' he added, suggesting that unless the contractor system was withdrawn such problems would continue.

Mr Vijay Raghavan, General Secretary of Mehrauli Federation of RWAs, which had held a protest candle light vigil against the poor power supply in the area, said, ''first there is no power, then on top of that these goons come and threaten us. The contractor system must be ended immediately or else it will be taken as state-sponsored harassment of residents at the hands of a mafia.'' Mr J S Chadda, Secretary of East of Kailash Federation of RWAs, said he would write to Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission and the ministry to order an immediate end to 'Contractor Raj' and relieve the harassed residents of Delhi.

UNI