Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 12: Senior Congress leader and MLA Inderwal, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori today criticized the Power Development Department for its proposal of hike in BPL power tariff from Rs 108 to Rs 360 and demanded immediate reversal of the “unjustified” decision.
In a press statement Saroori said the unjustified decision should be rescinded immediately as otherwise the same is bound to add to the sufferings of people in the State especially people living in rural areas. The hike from Rs 108 to Rs 360 in power tariff is directly hitting lakhs of BPL consumers in the State who have witnessed an unprecedented and an arbitrary hike in power tariff by the Power Department, he claimed.
Saroori also termed it unfortunate alleging the consumers in non metered areas have experienced sky touching hikes in power tariff as well as metered areas. He expressed strong reservations over the reports that the hike has been put at just two per cent as far as the Government departments are concerned even after these departments being the major defaulters on power dues.
“Power position in rural areas especially district Kishtwar and Doda continue to be grim and far from satisfactory. The Power Department has no rationale to hike tariffs without improving power supply position in the rural areas,” Saroori said.
He pointed out that the authorities should appreciate that in absence of regular electricity and sufficient LPG supply, the kerosene as source of light and heat is the only support that helps the people living through the vagaries of winter weather and the quota should not be curtailed.
Saroori said that the hike in power tariff has already put pressure on the poor especially BPL consumers and cutting the kerosene quota to J&K is amounting to breaking their backbone. He demanded immediate reversal of the “unjustified” decision of power hike and also cut in kerosene quota.
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