YAD opposes proposal

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 20

Activists of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD), led by core committee member Gurdeep Singh Gosha and representatives of the industry staunchly opposed any further hike in the power tariff for any category of consumers, saying the tariff in Punjab was already among the highest in the country.

Punjab State Electricity Commission chairperson Kusumjit Sidhu had convened a public hearing here on Wednesday for inviting objections/comments in respect of the ‘Draft Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (terms and conditions for determination of generation, transmission, wheeling and retail supply tariff) Regulations, 2019.

Raising voice of protest at the public hearing held by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC), Gosha, along with other party members, raised slogans against the Congress government for its failure to provide cheap electricity to industry and other consumers.

The protesting YAD workers were carrying posters, showing Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh in a slumber while trade and industry were on the verge of ruin.

Pleading the case of small industry, Federation of Punjab Small Industries Associations (FOPSIA) president Badish Jindal demanded that fixed charges should not be enhanced as these were paid by consumers.

“In case of any enhancement, the PSERC must suggest to enhance the consumption charges as these are subsidised by the government at Rs 5 per unit,” he added.

He further called upon the PSERC to stop cross subsidy on free power for agriculture and strict action be taken against power utility for gross financial mismanagement, which had taken the revenue gap (loss) to a staggering Rs 12,195 crore till last year.

Jindal said the PSERC must take the decision on next multi-year tariff for the period of 2020-23 latest by March 31 and no retrospective charges be allowed to be levied on consumers in case of delay.

He said industry was facing recession and was not in a position to bear any extra burden.