BJP to protest against power tariff hike

Blames govt of siding with firms, ignoring consumers

The BJP will hold protests across the Capital on Friday against the steep hike in power tariff and price rise.

The Bharatiya Janata Party will also start a signature campaign across Delhi against the alleged connivance between the Sheila Dikshit-led government, power companies and the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC).

State BJP president Vijender Gupta said signatures of over 10 lakh people will be taken to show that they are against power tariff hike. He said the protests, starting Friday, will go on indefinitely.

According to Gupta and leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijay Kumar Malhotra, for the first time in the history of Delhi the DERC has given more than the demanded hike by power companies.

‘Govt cannot escape liability’

“The government is responsible for this hike and hence it cannot escape the liability,” said Gupta. “For the benefit of power companies, the DERC fixed a rate of Rs 4 per unit for a slab up to 200 units. It also decided that if consumption increases by even one unit from 200 units, then the applicable rate will be under the 400 units slab,” said Gupta.

“In the latter, the tariff will be hiked from Rs 3 per unit to Rs 5.18 per unit. Those who are consuming over 400 units will have to pay Rs 7 per unit instead of the current Rs 4.70 per unit,” Gupta added.

He said the fixed charge on load has also been increased.

Malhotra reminded the state government that the Centre had formed the DERC with the objective that after privatisation, power companies should not exploit consumers. But the opposite happened, said Gupta.

“The DERC became a well-wisher of power companies instead of protecting consumers.

Former DERC chairperson Bijender Singh, after examining the accounts of power companies, had found that they were earning a huge profit to the tune of Rs 5,100 crore,” said Malhotra.

“Singh had recommended a 20 per cent reduction in power tariff. But after his retirement, the new chairperson P D Sudhakar is only interested in increasing tariff and filing the pockets of power companies,” alleged Malhotra.

He said chief minister Sheila Dikshit has been favouring power companies from the beginning.