RWAs to firm up protest against power tariff hike
Delhiites do not want any hike in power tariff, and this time they have decided to let the authorities know that. Avishek G Dastidar reports.
Delhiites do not want any hike in power tariff, and this time they have decided to let the authorities know that.
Residents Welfare Associations have firmed up detailed objections to the tariff petitions of the power distribution companies who have been demanding an inordinately steep hike - in the range of 60% and 100% - in tariff.
Not wanting to watch from the sidelines as the power tariff is hiked; they plan to be a vociferous force at the public hearing on tariff scheduled next week.
Forming a team to draw up objections in three categories - legal, technical and logical - residents from south, central and west Delhi areas have sent their objections to the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC). They plan to demand auditing of the accounts of the discoms by the Comptroller and
Auditor General of India (CAG). The technical objections scrutinising the Aggregate Revenue Requirement for last year and the true up petition for 2008-09 found several "discrepancies".
Prepared by Lajpat Nagar RWA member Hemantha Sharma, who is a chartered accountant by profession, the technical objections say that in 2008-09, the discoms had a total surplus electricity of 5,248 million units, selling which the discoms earned huge revenue.
"The discoms were also sitting on a surplus of R3,577 crore last year and Rs 1,200 crore was left to them to meet unforeseen exigencies. All this direct towards a tariff reduction," Sharma said.
The residents have also objected to the discoms claiming expenditure to the tune of couple of hundred crores of rupees under such heads as "Other Charges" and "Any Other Charges". "Such expenditure is not only unjustified in the regulations of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, but also not admissible," Sharma added.
The discoms will get a chance to respond to these claims before the DERC. Legal objections, prepared by Anil Sood of NGO Chetna alleged that the figures have been manipulated and he planned to tell that in the public hearing.
"The very basis of the tariff determination procedure, the figures need to be scrutinised," he said.
The age-old issue of electronic meters will also find mention at the public hearing with GK-I RWA member Rajiv Kakria arguing against the use of the device, calling it "doctored and meant to fleece".