Delhi: CPI(M) Protests Power Tariff Hike

ON July 11, hundreds of activists of the CPI(M) in Delhi staged protest dharnas against the recent hike in electricity tariffs. These dharnas were held at Mangolpuri (Ring Road Crossing), Azadpur Chowk, Karol Bagh (Tank Road), Shahadra (Keshav Chowk) and Badapur (Meethapur Chowk). The protestors were addressed by state CPI(M) leaders including S B Bharadwaj, Rampal, I S Bittoria, Sudhir Kumar, Asha Sharma, Nathu Prasad, Jagdish Manocha and Sonia Verma.

These dharnas condemned the state government for hiking electricity tariff by 10 per cent, to the detriment of the workers, poor, middle class and peasants. This was the third tariff hike since the power sector was privatized in the capital city. The CPI(M) has pointed out that, in fact, tariff hikes of this kind are a logical outcome of privatisation.

The fact is that all the assertions of the Delhi government about benefits of privatisation stand belied today. While the promise of affordable power has proved empty, tariffs keep rising, long power cuts persist and people get exorbitant bills due to faulty meters. Annual reduction in the transmission and distribution (T&D) losses is less than half of the 3 per cent that was promised at time of privatisation. On the other hand, the power distribution companies (distcoms) are openly misusing funds that are allocated for infrastructure development. Till last year, the BSES had spent only Rs 146 crore out of the Rs 761 crore sanctioned for this end. The rest was siphoned off. Despite this, the DERC sanctioned it Rs 1,100 crore on this count.

Speakers at the CPI(M) organized dharnas accused the Delhi government of subsidising the private distcoms --- The Tatas and Ambanis --- by looting the people through repeated electric tariff hikes. Till last year the state government had paid these distcoms Rs 3,500 crore as guaranteed return on equity. This is more than the total loss of the Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB) at time of privatisation.

The speakers also criticised the BJP for shedding crocodile tears over power tariff hikes. The BJP ardently supports the policy of privatization of civic facilities, which leads to such hikes, while crying wolf over their ill effects. This is nothing but crass hypocrisy on part of the BJP.

The speakers described the power tariff hike as a fraud on the people and demanded its immediate withdrawal. They urged the people of Delhi to actively oppose this anti-people measure.

Later, the CPI(M) organised dharnas in other areas on July 15, and followed them up with further actions on July 18. Nukkad meetings and distribution of leaflets opposing the power tariff hike were also undertaken in different areas in this period. (INN)