Hike in power tariff triggers protest in Puducherry

The power tariff hike announced here on May 20 evoked protests from political parties and consumer outfits Monday, even as the chief minister V Narayanasamy said he would hold talks with the officials concerned over the issue.

A group from the Puducherry unit of the Bharathiya Janata party (BJP) led by its president V Saminathan, an MLA, staged a protest in front of the head office of the Department of Electricity protesting against the increase announced by the joint electricity regulatory commission (JERC).

The 4.59 per cent hike would come into force from June, an official source said.

Saminathan said the hike was unwarranted and was announced within days of the completion of the Lok Sabha polls.

He said the people were hoodwinked by the Congress government stating during the run-up to the poll that the hike in tax on property and also those increased by the municipalities would be rescinded.

Now, the power tariff has been raised, which would hit only the common man, he said.

The protestors broke washing machines and other home appliances to express their protest.

Also, they shut the main door of the office of the electricity department.

The territorial unit of Makkal Needhi Maiam also protested against the hike. Convenor of the local unit of the party M A S Subramanian said the people were taken for a ride by the Congress government as the increase in power tariff had been announced within days of completion of the Lok Sabha polls.

In the meantime, Chief Minister V Narayanasamy told newsmen he would have a meeting with the officials of the department and get the details for the need to revise upward the tariff.

No hardship would be caused to the consumers, he said.