The Hindu : New Delhi News : Candle march to protest hike in power tariff

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 21, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Candle march to protest hike in power tariff

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Lok Abhiyan president and former Union Minister Vijay Goel will lead a rally this coming Wednesday in which the participants will carry candles, lanterns and hand fans to protest against the increases in power tariff in the Capital in recent months.

The protest march will start from Red Fort and proceed to the residence of the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit. It is expected to witness the participation of a number of former Members of Parliament as the general secretary of the committee of former MPs, Hardayal Devgun, has extended his support to the cause.

According to Mr Goel, the rally would seek to highlight that while there has been no improvement in the supply of power, there has been a steep increase in the rates of electricity. Also, the consumers are getting inflated bills due to fast running meters. With people finding it near impossible to pay these high bills, he said, people are being driven to a situation where they may have to surrender their connections and revert to the use of candles, lanterns and hand fans.

Symbolically seeking to show what lies ahead, the rally, Mr Goel said, is being organised to express the ire against the unjustified increase in power rates. He also appealed to the residents welfare associations, traders associations and social organisation to lend their support to it.

Further, the BJP leader said he would meet the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, P. Shankar, and hand over to him the documents highlighting the unjustified clauses in the agreement between the Delhi Government and the private distribution companies.

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