Meeting of the office-bearers of the Manali Tourism Staleholders' Association was held on Tuesday to apprise the state government on the increasing of electricity tariff, which was raised by the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) after getting approval from the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
Manali Tourism Stake holders Association president Gajender Thakur said that the electricity tariff in Himachal Pradesh (HP) was based on dual system, demand charges and units charges consumed.
He added that the latter part was justified as the consumers were charged for the units consumed, but first part of the tariff was not acceptable as it did protect the consumers under the Consumer Protection Act.
Gajender said that the state government should represent the facts to the HP State Electricity Regulatory Commission to abolish the demand charges, adding that the state government should provide relief to the hotel industry, as also announced by the Maharashtra State Government on Monday.
He pointed out that the luxury tax should be on the basis of actual tariff charged from the guests as it was in Himachal Pradesh, but recently the tax structure modified by the state government declared that it would be charged on fixed tariff.
Gajender added that the delegation from the state hotels association met the chief minister Virbhadra Singh, and though he assured that the government would look into the matter and reverse the decision, but no relief was seen till date.
{{/usCountry}}Gajender added that the delegation from the state hotels association met the chief minister Virbhadra Singh, and though he assured that the government would look into the matter and reverse the decision, but no relief was seen till date.
{{/usCountry}}“The delegation would again meet the chief minister and request him to get the Act amended,” said Gajender.