Tariff hike of 73 paise leaves industries, residents in the lurch; widespread power cuts in Bangalore on Thursday will make you sweat it out.
In six months, Bangaloreans will be in for another shock. Bescom has proposed a tariff hike to the tune of 73 paise, leaving the industries and residents in the lurch.
Appealing to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) to refuse the proposed petition by Bescom, they filed objections on Wednesday at the KERC office at Mahalaxmi Towers, MG Road. YV Aswathnarayana from Consumer Care Society said: “The KERC must allot a share of hydel power for Bescom so that the power purchase costs would come down.” He urged the KERC to fix nominal rates for hydel power like the other Escoms. He said that Bescom has a surplus of Rs933 crore, which could be kept as a regulatory liability against Bescom.
Filing their objections at the public hearing, Prakash N Raikar, president, Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA) said: “It would be better if the government could release the pending amount to the Escoms instead of hiking the tariff. Such frequent hikes in tariff would hamper the yearly business of the industries.”
FKCCI member Rajshekhar opposed the mandatory metering for consumers using more than 1 MW.
He requested the KERC to make guidelines for Escoms to deal with consumer disputes in a better way as the officials of the redressal forum change too frequently. Compared to last year, the number of objections this year was less. The BWSSB and BMRCL alleged that 64% of their total expenditure was being spent on power purchase.
They alleged that there was a shortfall of Rs100 crore, which would increase to Rs150 crore if the tariff were to be hiked. An official from BMRCL requested KERC to give them a concession as the Metro is now operating only on 10% of passenger load factor.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}