BJP to step up drive for new power tariff

Intensifying its agitation against the Delhi government for holding back the new power tariff for the year, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to take the issue to the streets.

Intensifying its agitation against the Delhi government for holding back the new power tariff for the year, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to take the issue to the streets.

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Seeking public support on the issue, the state unit of the party is holding janpanchayats at 15 prominent locations across the Capital on Monday.

"Our leaders would go to different locations and make people aware how the Delhi government was deliberately sitting on the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission's recommendation to cut power tariff," Delhi BJP president Vijendra Gupta said.

Gupta accused chief minister Sheila Dikshit of acting as "CEO" of private discoms, which have been lobbying to hike power tariff.

The Delhi government had forced DERC to not announce the new tariff order in May this year.

In a recent statement, the CM clarified she was holding the tariff hike till the Commonwealth Games.

Gupta said the discoms earned Rs. 945 crore surplus profit till last year and an additional Rs. 200 crore in this fiscal.

"The surplus profit earned by these companies should be equally distributed among the customers by reducing power tariff accordingly," Gupta said.

BJP leaders in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Sunday accused Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Sheila Dikshit of "pressuring officers" to pull down their legal hoardings to thwart BJP's campaign for mass awareness against power tariff hike.