Subsidise hike in power tariff, says Tandon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 1
Former minister and senior BJP leader Balramji Das Tandon today urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to issue directions to the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) to subsidise hike in power tariff.

In a statement here, Tandon said the government had become a laughing stock in the eyes of the public due to its inability to get the application to subsidise power hike processed by the PSERC. He said it was strange that the power commission had postponed the matter despite the fact that the people had already started paying enhanced tariff on the assurance that it would be adjusted against subsequent bills.

The BJP leader said in such a situation the government was left with no other option but use the power vested to it under the Electricity Act. Simultaneously, the government should direct the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) to give credit to the consumers who had paid the enhanced tariff so that they did not have to bear an additional burden.

Tandon also called upon the regulatory commission to realise the precarious position of the consumers who were being made to pay higher bills with retrospective effect due to no fault of theirs.

The BJP leader also appealed to the Chief Minister to request the two-member sub committee of Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and Local Bodies and Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia to expedite its report on ways to mobilise resources so that suitable action could be taken to ease the financial position of the state.