Stating this, Haryana Chief Minister Bansi Lal added that a specially prepared charter of consumer rights for electricity consumers would be distributed at all levels to make every consumer aware of his rights. He said Haryana would be the first state in the country to take this step.

The chief minister was addressing a function here after inaugurating the first phase of the Rs 5.30 crore housing colony for Haryana Vidyut Prasran Nigam (HVPN) personnel and laying the foundation stone of its second phase, which is scheduled to be completed by the year 2000.

He said that consumers have a right to get their complaints redressed as well as to claim compensation. He added that the facility to lodge complaints on telephone at all complaint centres would be introduced by March.

Bansi Lal also said that 24-hour electricity supply would be ensured throughout the state by July next.

Referring to the reforms in the power sector being undertaken by his government, Bansi Lal said that these would not lead to any change in salary and service conditions of the employees nor would staff be retrenched. He added that the government had not sold off any assets to private agencies, tough there have been several misgivings among a section of the HVPN staff.

Bansi Lal also stressed on the need for initiating a refresher course for employees to make them more responsive and consumer-friendly. He added that official procedures need to be simplified.

The chief minister stated that employees rendering outstanding service would be rewarded while those found negligent would be dealt with sternly.Stating that Rs.100 crore has been spent on the development of Panchkula, Bansi Lal urged the local administration to make the township crime and pollution free.

The chief minister also coanducted a surprise inspection of the site where the district courts are being constructed.

Earlier, Bansi Lal also laid the foundation stone of a Rs 1.5 crore regional therapy centre for the speech and hearing impaired in Sector 16. The centre would be made functional by the year 2000.

The chief minister also inaugurated a Rs 23 lakh government dispensary in Sector 12-A here and flagged off three audio-visual vans and three ambulances under the reproductive child health programme for Bhiwani, Faridabad and Panchkula districts. Rs 131.17 crore would be spent under this programme over the next five years.

288 flats have already been constructed in the first phase of the HVPN colony, while 144 more flats would be constructed in the second phase at a cost of Rs 7.45 crore.