Citizens protest power tariff hike at MERC

Updated on: 20 October,2011 08:57 AM IST |
A Correspondent |

Around 500 activists and citizens gathered at the public hearing at Council Hall yesterday, expressed their discontent against the proposed tariff hikes in electricity rates

Around 500 activists and citizens gathered at the public hearing at Council Hall yesterday, expressed their discontent against the proposed tariff hikes in electricity rates.u00a0

Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) had organised a public hearing inviting objections and suggestions to the tariff hike proposed by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) or MAHADISCOM MAHADISCOM has reportedly asked for a revenue recovery of Rs 5017 crore and a 40 per cent hike in residential tariffs from the MERC.

Officials from the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MSPGCL) and Maharashtra State Power Transmission Company Limited (MSPTCL) were among the 72 other consumer groups, present at the hearing. Vivek Welankar from Sajag Nagrik Manch said that the tariff hike is ambiguous. "MAHADISCOM did not ask the MERC for an extension of the Pune Model for Zero Load Shedding, when it was discontinued in June." Moreover, the Puneites have already paid Rs 250 crore for continuous power supply, he added.

Meanwhile, MAHAGENCO officials have promised to generate proper electricity in the months ahead.u00a0 MAHAGENCO Director, Chandrakant Thotve, said, "We have set up two units at the Kordi power plant and the new unit at Kaparkheda to boost electricity. "