Criticising the Delhi Government and Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) for increasing the power tariff, the Delhi BJP on Saturday announced an agitation against the anti-people decision and indicated that the party will make it a major issue in the run up to the Assembly elections slated for November.
Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel, while accusing the city Government and Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) of siding with the power distribution companies, said the party will hold a "massive rally" at Ramlila Ground on August 11 to demand a rollback of the hike.
The DERC, on Friday, hiked the tariff for domestic consumers by five per cent, heeding to the demands of the distribution companies. But, with the regulator waiving the fuel surcharge and the city Government swiftly announcing a subsidy for those limiting their monthly consumption to 400 units, the tariff will in effect come down marginally for low-end consumers.
"The tariff has been hiked several times in the last two years, which is totally unacceptable. We will hold a massive rally on the issue at Ramlila Ground on August 11," Goel said. He said the party will hold candle light marches across the city, including outside the Chief Minister's residence.
"It will be followed by agitation at district and block levels. It is very unfortunate that the Government, instead of protecting the interests of common people, is siding with the private discoms," Goel said.
The Delhi BJP chief claimed that though the discoms had asked for a hike of 1.8 per cent, the DERC had increased it by five per cent.
He also alleged that DERC and the Delhi Government are getting ready to dole out Rs 19,505 crore to the private power discoms, heeding to their claims of losses in the last few years.
"This figure is based on claims submitted by the discoms. No cross verification has been carried out by the DERC. Why there has been no independent verification of these figuresIJ" he asked.