Latest news with #Kathirmathiyon
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Electricity consumers in Coimbatore wait for new service connection for nearly nine months
Several applications for new electricity connections are said to be kept pending for want of distribution transformers in Coimbatore district. Consumer body, the Coimbatore Consumer Cause, has written to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) to direct the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation to provide the service connections on time. Secretary of the consumer body K. Kathirmathiyon claimed that applications were pending for more than nine months in Coimbatore district for new service connections. It is learnt that almost 140 distribution transformers were needed in Coimbatore alone to replace the old ones. He said that as per the Tamil Nadu Electricity Distribution Standards of Performance Regulations, 2004 , service connections should be given in 90 days for works involving extension and improvement. If the connections were not provided within the stipulated time, the licensee should pay the consumer a maximum of ₹2,000 for the delay period. However, if an application form was pending for 10 days or 400 days, the compensation amount was only ₹2,000 and that was the reason for the licensee to neglect the delays, he alleged. According to Mr. Kathirmathiyon, there are nearly '1,600 distribution transformers kept idle even now in the stores of the Licensee for years and left to gather dust. These DTs could not be used since they were allotted to the Central Government's Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS),' he said. While there was a stock of transformers on one hand, consumers were waiting for new connections on the other because of non-availability of transformers, he said. 'Despite repeated orders, the licensee failed to provide connections within the time for want of equipment / materials – which are totally unacceptable,' he said.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Excess fare: warrants issued against MD of TNSTC, Coimbatore, and RTO, Coimbatore North
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Coimbatore, has issued warrants against the Managing Director, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Coimbatore, and the Regional Transport officer, Coimbatore North, for failure to comply with an order passed on February 15, 2018, in a case of collection of excess fare lodged by Coimbatore Consumer Cause. An execution petition filed by K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary, Coimbatore Consumer Cause, during November 2023, cited the dismissal of an appeal made against the order by the State Consumer Commission and also a review petition in 2023. During 2018, three years after he had filed a case before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Coimbatore, the complainant was refunded the excess fare of ₹6 charged from him for to and fro travel between Vadavalli and Railway Station, along with ₹6,500 towards legal expenses. The petitioner had called for deposit of the excess fare collected during the three-year period in the Chief Minister Relief Fund. The TNSTC, Coimbatore, and the Regional Transport Officer, Coimbatore North, had paid the costs and the TNSTC, Coimbatore, had also deposited the fine of ₹ 10,000 along with interest at 9% for three years amounting to ₹ 7,532 to the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund. A copy of the order was sent to the Chief Secretary and to the Transport Commissioner of Tamilnadu Government to stop such excess collection. However, the TNSTC had claimed that the details of collection from 2015 to 2018 had been destroyed, and, hence, could not file the statement of excess collection. The Hon'ble Commission had, in its verdict cited the Government Rule mandating all the State Transport Corporations to preserve money value documents at least for a minimum period of 8 years as stipulated in the Companies Act 1956. The TNSTC, Coimbatore, had violated the Rule and the order of this Commission, Mr. Kathirmathiyon had contended in his executive petition. The bailable warrants were issued under Section 72 of Consumer Protection Act 2019.
The Hindu
25-04-2025
- The Hindu
Use of air horns continues unabated in Coimbatore
After a lull, use of high decibel air horns has become rampant among private buses and goods carriers in Coimbatore. Though the police claim that periodic vehicle checks are conducted to curb their use, many private buses, especially omni buses, are found to be using them. The private bus operators allege that the State-run buses are also involved in violations. A police officer said private bus operators were occasionally reminded to not use air horns, which caused noise pollution and distraction to other motorists. The permitted noise range for horns was between 93 decibel and 112 decibel as per the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, the official said. Lack of decibel meters, a device required to check noise level of horns, was another hurdle for the police and Transport Department. Decibel meter, which is used by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) is held at a distance of 7.5 metres from the horn, at a height of 0.5 to 1.5 metres, to check the noise level. Consumer rights activist K. Kathirmathiyon said consumer organisations raised the issue of air horns on city roads with the Transport Department officials at a meeting with Regional Transport Officers (RTO) held in March. 'Vehicle owners should be booked or fined if they are found using air horns, instead of merely seizing them. As no such action is being taken, there is no deterrent effect. After the issue was highlighted, the Department agreed to conduct joint drives with TNPCB,' he said. City Police Commissioner A. Saravana Sundar said the police would carry out surprise vehicle checks to curb use of air horns.
