Hear me out, CM asks power regulator

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan wants to put forth the state’s view before the Mahar-ashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), that decides power tariffs.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan wants to put forth the state’s view before the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), that decides power tariffs.

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This comes in the wake of MERC’s earlier decisions which have put the state in the dock.

The decision was taken on Monday, after deliberating with senior cabinet colleagues Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Energy Minister Ajit Pawar. Energy Department officials presented before the ministers a roadmap that plans to make the state power surplus by 2012.

Chavan told Hindustan Times the state had several issues that needed to be sorted out with regulators. “We have decided to send our experts to the commission first. Then I will invite the commission to discuss the issues.”

Respective governments would regulate power tariff before the commission came into existence. The commission’s recent decisions, especially to increase tariff ahead of polls, upset the political bosses.

Chavan said the issues related to the power scenario — government and private firms — would come up for discussion.

A senior energy officer said MERC’s refusal to stay hike of the state power distribution firm would top Chavan’s priority list.