RWAs target govt on tariff rise, to move court and protest on streets

The steep hike of 26 per cent in the Capital’s power tariff structure has pinched Dehiites quite hard. Residents say the government has become too arrogant and made it anti-people. They also believe that the tariffs were hiked so that discoms could make good profits.

The steep hike of 26% in the Capital’s power tariff structure has pinched Dehiites quite hard. Residents say the government has become too arrogant and made it anti-people. They also believe that the tariffs were hiked so that discoms could make good profits.

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Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) across the Capital have called a meeting on Saturday to chart out plans to protest against the government on this issue. The RWAs are also mulling moving court over this steep hike.

“This hike does not make any sense. No government in its right mind would have done it. Only last year, the tariffs had risen by 22 per cent. This year again, the government has hiked them by 26%. We will go to the court armed with all the documents we have. Moreover, we have lost faith in the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC),” said Rajiv Kakaria, member of Greater Kailash I RWA.

Kakaria says that when fixed charges, surcharge and the energy costs are totalled, the present hike is more than what it looks. “If we add this to last year’s hike, the total rise in this percentage comes out to be 50 per cent. This means, Delhi has seen a near 50 per cent hike in power tariffs in less than 10 months. But Lutyens Delhi, where all VIPs live, has been spared. Why does this government want the common man to suffer? We seem to be living in a Banana Republic,” he added.

The RWAs are also planning to take to the streets to protest the hike. “DERC is working for the benefit for the discoms.

We are left with no other option but to protest on the streets. The government has turned a blind eye to the common man,” said Anil Bajpai of East Delhi RWAs Federation.