NEW DELHI: People's Action, a non-government organisation (NGO) campaigning against theft of power in the Capital in association with United Residents Joint Action (URJA), launched its crusade in East Delhi on Sunday with residents of Vishwas Nagar resolving by consensus to pay only half their power bills from this April.

"This would be the start of a civil disobedience movement against the illegal method of charging honest consumers for the dishonesty of others by the private power companies in league with the Delhi Government" said URJA convenor Promod Chawla. S.N. Rohtagi, president of Vishwas Nagar Residents' Welfare Association, which organised the meeting of over 70 influential residents of the area said: " We residents have decided not to pay for those who steal electricity. These people constitute the vote banks of politicians. We will only pay 50 per cent of the bills from April".

According to a release issued by URJA, Vishwas Nagar has a large number of illegal polluting factories that are still operating despite their closure order by the Supreme Court. "They are stealing power in league with private power companies employees," it said.

Taking note of the concerns expressed by the area resident, Viswas Nagar RWA general secretary P.C. Jain said: "The residents are outraged at the fixed charge that is being slapped on consumers by the discoms and have decided not to pay this illegal surcharge in future bills".

The residents also demanded refund of the money collected by the discoms under the pretext of covering up losses by raising tariff continuously over the past three years.

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