Power bills: Nirupam slams MERC over 2-member inquiry panel

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam Friday criticised Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission's (MERC) decision to appoint a committee to look into reasons for 'increased' electricity bills in the city.

He described it as the MERC's "desperate attempt to douse the public outrage".

"MERC can immediately ask Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited (AEML) (the power distributor firm) to withdraw the sudden hike in electricity tariffs," he said.

The regulatory body should have done a comparative study of electricity bills before and after AEML took over the power distribution business from Reliance Energy, he said.

"Instead of appointing a two-member fact-finding committee, MERC must allow power experts and members of NGOs working in this field to be part of this committee," he added.

After facing heat over high electricity bills, AEML had argued that the increase only reflected seasonal increase in power consumption in October-November period.