CPI flays government for hike in power tariff

CPI has registered strong protest against the hke effected in power tariff by Puducherry government.
The executive committee of the party's Puducherry unit adopted a resolution yesterday objecting to the hike once again effected in tariff structure hitting power consumers.
Secretary of the party R Viswanathan who distributed copies of the resolutions adopted at the meeting said that the party wanted the government to withdraw the increase in power tariff.
He said that already business activities in Puducherry had been hit what with the poor economic policy of the Rangasamy led government. Industrialists were winding up their units as there had been no special incentives either to attract new units or to retain the existing industries in the Union Territory leading to unemployment of a large number of workers.

Those working in government departments on temporary or part time basis were not paid wages for months together. The government was letting big power consumers go despite their default to settle the bills for years together. Power theft and loss in transmission of electricity had also been on the increase.
"Instead of collecting mounting arrears of tariff from business and industrial sectors the government was pleasing itself with raising the tariff for domestic consumers", the CPI leader said and wanted the government to withdraw the hike now effected in the tariff.
The party would soon launch State wide agitation to register protest against the increase in power tariff and to see its withdrawal, Viswanathan said.