‘Power’ struggle delays tariff review

High drama and chaos at the office of the Capital’s power regulator — Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) — on Monday derailed the public hearing called by the commission to decide on possible changes in tariff slabs.

High drama and chaos at the office of the Capital’s power regulator — Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) — on Monday derailed the public hearing called by the commission to decide on possible changes in tariff slabs.

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BJP’s Vijay Goel and India Against Corruption’s Arvind Kejriwal, along with their supporters, protested the recent power hike. The ruckus that began at 11 am continued till 5 pm.

When even RWA representatives started to shout slogans and tore documents, the hearing had to be postponed. DERC chairperson PD Sudhakar said the next date of hearing would be decided in a couple of days. He also appealed to the people to keep sending in their suggestions and complaints via email, post or text messages.

Goel and 1,500-odd BJP supporters started their protest at around 11 am. Before Kejriwal showed up, the BJP leader went on to invite him to “join the party”. But when Kejriwal arrived with around 100 IAC activists at around 1.15 pm, he took on the BJP by accusing the party of not taking up the electricity issue seriously. BJP activists gheraoed DERC chairperson PD Sudhakar in his office cabin at around 11am. The police arrived an hour later and removed them from the premises. Even IAC activists had a minor scuffle with the police when they tried to enter the DERC office complex at Malviya Nagar in South Delhi.

Making life difficult for Goel, he said, “Is BJP not aware that DERC in 2010 recommended a reduction in power tariff? Delhi government halted it. But BJP also did nothing for one and a half years. BJP has a copy of the DERC order but it is not making it public,” he said. Goel countered by saying that the BJP raised the issue first.