AAP workers stage protest outside DC office seeking waiver off power bills

AAP workers submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner Varinder Sharma seeking a waiver of power bills for three months

Accusing the state government of looting the consumers during the Covid-19 lockdown by serving hefty power bills, the district unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a protest at the mini secretariat on Thursday.

AAP workers staging protest outside the DC office on Thursday (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

The AAP leaders led by Jagraon MLA Sarvjt Kaur Manuke submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner Varinder Sharma seeking a waiver of power bills for three months.

Manuke said, “Rather than providing relief to the public during this pandemic, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) is serving hefty power bills to the residents. Also, the government is collecting fixed charges from hotels, gyms and restaurants even when the gyms are closed and other sectors are not being run at full capacity. The government had announced a fixed charge waiver for two months but no relief has been provided till now.”

Manuke said that rather than serving hefty power bills, the state government should waive off the bills for the last three months and relief should also be announced in terms of the property tax, water-sewer bills, etc.

If no relief is announced by the state government in the coming days, then the AAP would intensify protests across the state, said Manuke.

Social distancing goes for a toss

Social distancing went for a toss at DC office as the AAP leaders gathered there to protest. Many of them were seen without masks during the protest.