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Led by SP MLA, weavers & farmers protest against high power tariff
Hundreds of weavers and farmers, led by SP MLA Atul Pradhan, who protested against anomalies in their power bills at the Urja Bhawan headquarters of Pashchimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam, accused the government of exploiting weavers by enhancing power tariff of their loom connections. They demanded resumption of the ‘ flat tariff’ provided to them earlier.
MEERUT The Samajwadi Party launched a two-day protest at Urja Bhawan here on Tuesday with weavers and farmers, to raise their issue of electricity bills.
Hundreds of weavers and farmers, led by SP MLA Atul Pradhan, who protested against anomalies in their power bills at the Urja Bhawan headquarters of Pashchimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam, accused the government of exploiting weavers by enhancing power tariff of their loom connections. They demanded resumption of the ‘ flat tariff’ provided to them earlier.
Farmers also raised the issue of electricity bills. MLA Atul Pradhan said that the state government had given them assurance of free electricity for irrigation but now meters were being installed at tube-wells.
Similarly, weavers’ power-loom connection tariff had been increased manifold, burning a hole in their pockets, he said.
Pradhan said that weavers and farmers would continue their protest till Wednesday along with party workers.
Khushnawaz Ansari, president of Meerut Weavers’ Welfare Association, said that the state government has raised tariff of 5 kw power-loom to ₹800 per kilo watt from ₹130 per KW and for power-looms with a load of more than 5 KW, the billing would be through reading, with subsidy of ₹700 per KW and the maximum limit would be ₹9100.
Ansari said that Meerut district had 3200 registered power-looms with loads ranging from 5 KW to 25 KW and 4 to 5 families and labourers were associated with each unit.
He said new tariffs were enforced for the past two years but no government order was issued yet. “This situation has created confusion among weavers as a few are paying bills while others are still waiting for final decision on the issue,” he said.
Ansari said that the SP extended support to the protest as spiralling power bills had made weavers miserable. The government should listen to their genuine demands for flat rate of power tariff, he said.
