Farmer-Labour outfits condemn hike in power rates in Punjab
Farmer-Labour outfits condemn hike in power rates in Punjab
Ferozepur, December 25, 2019: Farmers and Laourers under the banner of Kissan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab has strongly condemned the hike in electricity tariff by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited – PSPCL – which is unwarranted and unacceptable.
With the new orders, the domestic consumers in Punjab will pay R.8.37 per unit as tariff and industrial consumer Rs.7.05-Rs.7.85 per unit. A petition for allowing higher Annual Revenue Requirement was moved by PSPCL earlier this year.
Speaking to the media persons, Satnam Singh Pannu,President, Savinder Singh Chutala, Senior Vice President, Gurbachan Singh Chabba, State Office Secretary said, the Punjab government and Powercom have taken a decision to put an extra burden on the power consumers from January 1,2020 for making arrangements of Rs.1490 crore to the Nabha and Talwandi Sabo private thermal plants as per the Supreme Court orders. More companies are also moved an appeal in the court for getting Rs.1300 crore.
Condemning the hike in power rates by the Capt government, the farmer-labour outfits have demanded to roll back the hike orders and for cancellation of anti-Punjab agreements by the previous Akali-BJP government with the private companies.
They also appealed to the consumers not to pay the bills and come forward to fight with the government.
The power rates of Rs.9.90 per unit in Punjab for domestic consumers are the highest in the country Also Rs.500 crore every month has to be given to the private companies as per the agreement executed with them despite the fact that the Capt government during the elections has announced to cancel the agreements with the private firms. But the fact is that the private companies are being benefitted by closing down the government thermal plants, they said.
Giving a warning, they said, the hike would burden domestic, industrial and farming power consumers. In case the hike is not rolled back, the agitation will be intensified after taking a decision in its State Core Committee meeting to be held on December 27.
