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‘Switch off lights for 3 mins’: Kerala Congress’ power tariff hike protest
There are widespread complaints that many consumers are getting bills that are three to four times higher than what they have been paying.
Protesting the steep hike in electricity charges in Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is exhorting people to switch off lights for three minutes on Wednesday at 9 pm and sign an online campaign to register their anger.
This is a marked departure from the usual protests seen in the state.
An online petition, Change.org, has also been launched as part of protest to force the government to roll back the hike.
“As a responsible opposition, we don’t want to endanger the lives of people by organising huge protests in the time of pandemic. But we can’t allow the government to get away with its anti-people decisions either. Switching off lights for three minutes on June 17 at 9 pm gives an opportunity for them to register their protest,” said state opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, adding the steep hike was a cruel blow as many people are reeling under job-loss and income crunch further compounded by the coronavirus crisis.
The Congress leader complained that the government’s move amounts to robbing people.
“Many of them have lost jobs and are struggling to feed their families. There is no justification in hiking when the people are in the midst of a deep crisis. This tantamount to robbing the hapless,” he said.
There are widespread complaints that many consumers are getting bills that are three to four times higher than what they have been paying.
Malayalam actor Madubal had got a bill of Rs 5,714 for his locked house but after he posted his woes online, it was reduced to Rs 300 in a day. Many such glaring complaints came to light in recent days.
State electricity board chairman SN Pillai said due to lockdown meter-reading was not done in three months and consumers were charged nominally during this period and later differences were settled in the latest bill. Although he promised that the excess amount, if any, will be adjusted later, but the people without a regular income say it is a real shock.
