BJP, AAP protest power tariff hike move in DERC public hearing

The public hearing organised by Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission to consider hike in power tariff today witnessed strong protest by BJP, Aam Admi Party and Resident Welfare Associations, which slammed it for considering another increase in electricity rates.
BJP staged a demonstration at DERC office in South Delhi's Malvya Nagar area.
"Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and her Congress colleagues are using DERC to help private discoms exploit the consumers," Delhi BJP President Vijay Goel told the gathering.
Goel later met DERC Chairperson and other members in the public hearing and raised a number of questions regarding financial status of the discoms.

"The Chief Minister might put on hold the hike due to political consideration ahead of the assembly polls but the fact remains that once DERC accepts the inflated claims of discoms, the hike in power tariff will be inevitable immediately after the polls. The Delhi government is working blatantly in favour of discoms," Goel said.
The public hearing has been organised by the DERC to take views of the stakeholders in finalising power tariff for domestic consumers.

The power tariff in the city was hiked by 22 per cent in 2011 followed by five per cent hike in February last year. The tariff was hiked by up to two per cent in May last year and again by 26 per cent for domestic consumers in July last year. The tariff was hiked by up to three per cent last month.

DERC is in the process of finalising the tariff for the year 2013-14 and has already given indication of a hike.
Representatives of RWAs and Aam Admi Party also slammed the DERC for considering another hike in tariff and accused the regulator of siding with the discoms.