The Hindu : New Delhi News : BJP opposes proposed hike in power tariff

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 11, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

BJP opposes proposed hike in power tariff

Staff Reporter

Vardhan warns that this time the movement would not be limited to mere agitation

NEW DELHI: Apprehending a 10 per cent increase in the power tariff for the Capital's citizens from this coming July 1, the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party president, Harsh Vardhan, has demanded that the proposed hike be withdrawn as already the citizens of Delhi have been burdened with power tariff hikes three times by the Congress-led Government.

Talking to The Hindu, Dr. Harsh Vardhan described the proposed increase in power charges as an "extreme'' to which the Delhi Government had been stooping as it unnecessarily put extra financial strain on the residents. Declaring that following a meeting of the party office-bearers on Saturday, the Delhi BJP would decide its future course of action, the party president warned that this time the movement would not be limited to a mere agitation alone.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, who has called a meeting of the State and "morcha" office-bearers to discuss the fall-out of the announcement, has also demanded that the sewer fee being recovered by the Delhi Jal Board for regularisation of unauthorised colonies in the Capital should be nominal and that the demand of Rs 395 per square metre was "excessive and unnecessary''.

Stating that the power rates in the Capital have already been increased three times in the recent past, he charged that now all the three power companies with the connivance of the Delhi Government and the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission are going to increase the power tariff by showing false losses in their account books at a time when they were actually earning a great deal.

Private companies

Pointing out that the private companies, the Delhi Government and DERC had stated that there had been a 12 per cent decrease in power thefts after privatisation, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said as for every percentage point there is a saving of Rs. 84 crores, so the private companies should have ideally earned a profit of over Rs. 1,000 crores and this should have resulted in a 12 per cent decrease in power tariff. But the rates are still being upped.

Claiming that the private companies have also been sending inflated bills to the consumers and duping them through fast running meters which show the consumption at around 30 per cent more, the Delhi BJP president said the quality of supply was also poor and load shedding has become common in Delhi. Even in posh areas like South Delhi, he said people are suffering due to excessive power cuts.

Besides, the problem of low voltage was also troubling residents of Outer Delhi, Central Delhi, East Delhi and North Delhi, he said, adding that rather than taking action against the three power companies, the Delhi Government was helping their cause by allowing them to increase the power tariff.

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