The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Punjab, met in Chandigarh on Saturday in to draw an outline to launch a statewide 'Bijli Andolan' against the high power tariff in the State, which would kick start from Monday.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of core committee chairman, Principal Budhram, Leader of Opposition, Harpal Singh Cheema, and coordinator of 'Bijli Andolan', Aman Arora and Meet Hayer (All MLAs), at which the AAP leaders demanded govt to convene 2-day special Vidhan Sabha session on the issue of looming water crisis.
Cheema appreciated Capt Amarinder Singh's decision to convene an all-party meeting to deliberate on the looming water crisis in the state, stating it was a step in this direction, albeit late.
He stressed the need for convening a 2-day special Vidhan Sabha session on the issue of fast depleting ground water table, drying up of rivers and other water channels, and the agreements signed between States on river waters et al. He added senior party leader Kultar Singh Sandhwan would prepare a detailed list in this regard with the help of experts.
Briefing about the proposed 'Bijli Andolan', Aman Arora said that the common man in Punjab was paying high rate of electricity compared to other states, which was a fallout of the anti-state and anti-people agreements signed between the previous BJP-SAD Government and the private power players.
He added that the agreements stood to incur a loss of `2,800 crores per year, ending up with a total loss of 70 thousand crores in the coming 25 years, adding that the Captain Government should cancel the anti-state agreement immediately, to fulfill his poll promise to provide power to people the at affordable rate.
He accused Captain of colluding with the power players like his predecessor. Arora also sought a meeting with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh under the leadership Leader of the Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema to discuss the issue threadbare. Others who were present at the meeting included MLAs Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Baljinder Kaur, Rupinder Kaur Ruby, Jai Kishan Singh Rori, Kulwant Singh Pandori besides other office bearers.