Protesting the proposed power tariff hike by power distribution companies (Discoms), the Odisha Rajya Bidyut Upabhokta Mahasangha (ORBUM) on Friday alleged that instead of addressing their own laxities, the companies have petitioned the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) urging hike in power tariff for the 2016-17 financial year to compensate their own losses.
At a Press meet here, ORBUM convenor Rabi Behera said, “Even the Energy Minister recently said in the Assembly that the power distribution companies owe a total of Rs5,538 crore to the Government. On the other hand, as many as 18 lakh BPl households in the State are deprived of electricity connection. Instead of rectifying their own blunders, the distribution companies have conspired to raise the power tariff by 73 paise per unit”.
Mahasangha president Panchanan Kanungo alleged that due to privatisation in power production, distribution and collection of bills, the distribution companies have been increasingly exploiting the gullible consumers. Private companies like the AES and the Reliance have duped the consumers of around Rs10,000 crore.
The body placed a six-point charter of demands including immediate collection of the unpaid Rs5,538 crore from the Discoms, a CAG audit of the annual budget of these companies, free electricity supply to the agriculture sector, electricity connection to all households and withdrawal of the proposed hike in power tariff.
Members of the body threatened to stage stir in coming days if the OERC concedes to the demand of the Discoms in increasing the power tariff.
Among others, CPI leader Narayan Reddy, CPI(Ml) leader Radhakant Sethy, Congress spokesperson Sulochana Das and CPI(M) leader Suresh Panigrahy were present.