Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 12: Aghast over proposed power tariff, various political and social organizations as well as prominent individuals have asked the Government to put on hold the intended move.
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Youth Congress (JKPYC) staged a strong protest against the proposed move , which, according to them, will prove disastrous for the Industry as well as common people.
The protest was held under the chairmanship of Uday Chib, President JKPYC, outside Press Club Jammu and was organised by Happy Randhawa, DYC President Jammu. The protesting PYC workers and activists raised slogans against the Union Govt and the J&K UT Administration. Click here to watch video
While addressing media persons on the sidelines of the protest, the JKPYC President Uday Chib said that the Administration is all set to hike the power tariff in J&K which is going to further compound the miseries of common people of this Union Territory who are already suffering a lot due to misrule of the BJP Govt. “It is in response to this intended draconian measure of the administration that we have taken to roads to voice people’s concern and fight for their rights,” he added.
“What was the need for hike in power tariff when the Government has installed smart meters and the consumers are paying accordingly despite receiving in adequate power supply,” the JKPYC President questioned?
Among those who joined the protest, include Ricky Dalotra, Sahil Singh Langeh, Latish Sharma, Divyansh Jamwal, Happy Randhawa, Romi Sharma, Gurpreet Singh, Ranjoot Singh, Manav Choudhary and others.
Meanwhile, Rakesh Gupta, President Jammu Pharmaceutical Distributors Association Jammu and former President Chamber of Commerce & Industry Jammu , today advised the Power Development Department to put on hold the proposed power tariff hike and termed it as totally irrational .
He appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to urgently intervene and question the bosses of PDD for the proposed power tariff hike and ask the PDD to go for serious introspection as corruption in their distribution department has crossed all barriers resulting into 60-62% AT & C Losses ( Aggregate Technical & Commercial Losses) despite thousands of crores of Tax Payers Money been and being allocated by the Union Government for improving the Infra .
He also appealed to the Union Home Minister for an urgent audit by Central agencies of the money spent by the PDD on their Infra in J&K UT in the last one decade.
Rakesh Gupta also appealed to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to make the PDD Distribution Officials accountable for big mismatch between the consumption of electricity and revenue collected. He reiterated that there must be no increase in the existing power tariff and effective steps be taken up to lower the AT & C Losses rather.
National Conference has also asked the Government to put on hold the proposed hike in the power tariff , saying the steep increase in electricity tariff will add to the burden of a common man in Jammu and Kashmir.
NC Chief Spokesperson and Advisor to Omar Abdullah Tanvir Sadiq, while alluding to the proposed 17.74 % and 12.46% hike in power tariff in both the Jammu and Kashmir provinces by JPDCL and KPDCL respectively, said the proposed hike is totally an unwarranted decision that has been taken by the Power Department without taking the sufferings of the varied sections of people into account.
“The decision is blind to the financial distress the people of Jammu and Kashmir are facing. Such an arbitrary increase in power tariff is totally unbearable, particularly at a time, when people across J&K are trying to grasp the nettle of financial distress induced by successive lockdowns and clamp downs. Government should take into consideration the financial condition of our people before going for such a major hike. Such an arbitrary hike which is blind to the primary stakeholders, the consumers is totally acceptable,” he said.
Sunil Dimple, president Mission Statehood Jammu Kashmir today led a protest rally on Ambphalla- Janipur High Court road against the proposed hike in electricity tariff despite installing smart meters.
Addressing the protesters, Sunil Dimple accused the BJP Government of imposing Jazia on J&K people after abrogation of Special Status under Article 370. Stressing that the Central Government should return back J&K Power projects before increasing the electricity tariff, Dimple threatens a mass agitation against the proposed hike.
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