- (1.) THE petitioner has filed this petition seeking reimbursement of additional expenditure by the beneficiaries in North-eastern Region incurred towards deployment of special security forces at Bongaigaon and Kumarghat sub-stations for the year 2004-05.
(2.) The petitioner has based its claim on Regulations 12 and 13 of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions of Tariff) Regulations, 2004 (the regulations) which empower the Commission to make appropriate provisions for removing difficulties and to relax the provisions thereof in appropriate cases. It has been stated that the petitioner had deployed Tripura State Rifles, at Kumarghat sub-station forming part of Agartala-Kumarghat transmission line and CISF at Bongaigaon sub-station under Kathalpguri transmissioln system, to afford security to its assets and the personnel deployed on these two sub-stations because of inhospitable terrain, difficult law and order situation and disturbed conditions prevailing in the area North-eastern region. According to the petitioner, this also ensures uninterrupted power supply to the beneficiaries in the region. It has been stated that there had been cases of kidnapping of employees and contractor's staff by the militants and CISF cover was provided at Bongaigaon sub-station and Tripura State Police was deployed at Kumarghat sub-station taking in view the disturbed situation prevailing in the area to accord proper security to its assets and personnel deployed at these sub-stations. The petitioner has listed several instances of kidnapping, attack and killing to highlight difficult security scenario in the region. The petitioner has referred to the Commission's order dated 26.5.2005 in Petition No.22/2005 whereby reimbursement of abnormal O&M expenses for the year 2003-04 were approved. The petitioner has submitted copies of the newspaper reports and correspondence with the security agencies in support of its claim about the prevailing law and order situation. Accordingly, the petitioner has claimed the following expenditure on salary etc. of the personnel deployed on special security, as abnormal O & M expenses: JUDGEMENT_273_TLET0_20070.htm
(3.) THE break up of the amount of Rs. 80.29 lakh claimed for Bongaigaon sub-station has been worked out by re-apportioning salary between Bongaigaon and Salakati sub-stations in the ratio of 50:50 as per the direction given in order dated 22.2.2005 in Petition No. 83/2004. THE claims of the petitioner are supported by the auditor's certificate dated 21.2.2006.;