Power consumers coming under Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) Limited have urged the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) to recommend the government to fix differential tariff for them, considering their condition as a special case.

They have maintained that since the industrial and agricultural condition in the coastal districts are different from the rest of the regions in the State, the government should not fix uniform rate throughout the State considering the situation in all electricity supply companies one and the same.

The demand was made during the public hearing meet held by KERC regarding the revision of power tariffs at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Monday, under the presidentship of KERC Chairman K P Pande. Most of the participants in the meet opposed the proposal of the government to hike power tariff in the State by 90 paise.

Urging the Commission not to hike the power tariff, Mr Krishna Bhat representing Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), said since they contribute 60 per cent of Mescom’s revenue, their plea should be considered significant.

The KCCI also alleged that energy audit is not being done scientifically, while subsidised category of power consumption has been increasing year by year.

“Cross subsidy should be reduced progressively. On the one hand, the amount of power distribution has increased, but the revenue has decreased,” Mr Bhat noted.

‘Slash tariff’

Mr B Satyanarayana Udupa, representing Udupi district Bharatiya Kisan Sangha (BKS) urged for reduction in the power tariff by 20 - 40 paise.

Mescom has transferred its Rs 7.16 crore income tax on its consumers indicating the amount as an expenditure, which should not be done as per the legislations concerned.

The initiative of the Mescom of receiving a deposit of three months in advance is also uncalled for. Instead, the consumers are ready to have prepaid metres but without depositing any amount, he observed.

Mescom is getting lesser hydel power which is cheaper and the majority portion is being distributed to Hescom, Gescom and Chescom, that has proved costly for the Mescom consumers, he pointed out. Though all reservoirs in the State are overflowing, the KPTCL has estimated the availability of hydel power as less, which has resulted in the increase of power purchase rate, Mr Udupa added.

Mr Vijayakrishna Bhat, representing Dakshina Kannada BKS alleged that the quality of service by the Mescom is not up to standard, while accidental deaths are going up. Low voltage problem still prevails even in municipality limits.

Most of the street lights do not have metres, the expenditure for such consumption are imposed upon poor farmers, he complained.

Mr Ramakrishna Sharma representing Udupi Krishika Sangha urged for uniform metres throughout Mescom limits, while Mr M Bhaskar Shetty said the tariff hike should not be applied to those farmers using less than 100 units per month.

Mr Sadanand Shetty of Kinnigoli Raita Hitarakshana Vedike said the farmers should not be charged for their IP sets during rainy season, as they will not be in use. Mr Srinivas Bhat from Kanyana rued that the rural farmers are still getting 5 hours of electricity per day, who pressed for supply upto at least 12 hours. KERC Member H S Subrahmanya was present.