NEW DELHI: The Delhi Congress Legislature Party (CLP), which unanimously passed a resolution for a complete rollback of the power tariff hike in the Capital, also says that private power distribution companies be directed to address people's grievances including fast running of electronic meters within six months, failing which their licence agreements should be reviewed, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and DPCC chief Ram Babu Sharma told newspersons.

Legislators began their meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss the issue that has angered city residents.

Congress legislator Mukesh Sharma moved a resolution at the meeting demanding among other things rollback of the 10 per cent hike in power tariff and a 20 per cent cut in the increase in power tariff for farmers.

If this was not possible, the discoms should give some concession in the form of rebate, the resolution said.

The resolution demanded a change in the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission Act to give more powers to the Delhi Assembly to fix tariff.

It criticised the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party for "politicising" the power issue.

Though some legislators had demanded the rollback, the Delhi government had so far rejected it.

Ms. Dikshit was, however, forced to call the CLP meeting after pressure grew on her government to do something on the issue with the city residents taking to streets.

The official agenda of the CLP meeting was to thank the central government for passing the Rural Employment Guarantee Act in Parliament.

As a prelude to today's meeting, the government yesterday reviewed the power situation in the capital at a high-level meeting, attended by state Finance Minister A.K. Walia, Power Minister Haroon Yusuf, Chief Secretary S. Raghunathan and CEOs of both the private electricity supply companies.

All power related issues discussed

All issues for making the power situation better were discussed at the meeting. Billing problems, fast-running meters and other apprehensions of the consumers were taken up, Dr Walia said.

Earlier, Ajay Maken MP and two senior Congressmen, AICC Secretary Pervez Hashmi and MLA Subhash Chopra had written to the Chief Minister for early convening of the CLP to discuss water and power tariff hike issue.

In their letters, they were understood to have told the Chief Minister that elected representatives were facing the people's ire in their constituencies because of the hike in water and power charges and the deteriorating civic services.

On August 26, ruling out any rollback in power tariff, Ms Dikshit had told the people who were unwilling to pay their electricity bills, that there would be no escape from paying the increased charges. -- UNI

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