Himmat Singh, a social activist in Kota, who had been on hunger strike for the past 10 days outside KEDL office, called off his hunger strike after a delegation from district administration met him.
Markets, private schools and other commercial institutions in Kota city remained closed on Friday to protest against the installation of smart meters by Kota Electricity Distribution Limited (KEDL), a franchise of Jaipur Vidutt Vitran Nigam Limited (JVVNL), which are charging higher power bills. Petrol pumps also stayed closed till 12 noon.
The Kota Bar council also suspended the judicial work in Kota courts against KEDL. Kota city Congress, Kota Vyapar Mahasang and around 150 trade organisations, which had given the bandh, staged rallies against KEDL. Youth Congress workers burnt tyres and smart meters in front of KEDL office in Gumanpura area.
“It was a historical bandh against the exploitative commercial strategies of KEDL and the public of Kota city supported it,” Kota city Congress president Ravindra Tyagi said. “BJP leaders of the city helped KEDL to install smart meters in the city and to impose its exploitative tactics but Congress party and the public would not allow it to happen and KEDL would be forced to leave the city,” he added.
Himmat Singh, a social activist in Kota, who had been on hunger strike for the past 10 days outside KEDL office, called off his hunger strike after a delegation from district administration met him. “ The district administration has give me 10-day’s time to address my demands in public interest following which I decided to withdraw hunger strike,” Himmat Singh said.
Meanwhile, Kota district collector Gorav Goyal held meeting on Thursday with officials of KEDL, representatives of Kota Vyapar Mahasang and hostel association. Goyal has directed to organise ward wise camp from August 17 to address and resolve the issue relating to high billing. He also withdrew the previous direction in which hostels were charged electricity bill in commercial category.
JVVNL last year franchised Kolkata-based KEDL for electricity distribution in Kota city since then the company had been facing public wrath.
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