Vijayawada: CPM flays State govt for imposing hidden charges on power consumers

Vijayawada: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) assailed the State government for imposing hidden charges on the electricity consumers in the State in the form of additional load consumption, additional deposit and penalties, which is huge burden on the consumers.

CPM State executive member Ch Babu Rao addressing the media at Sri Sri Bhavan here on Tuesday demanded discussion in the Assembly on the hidden charges.

Flaying the State government for exploiting the consumers, he demanded immediate intervention by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and stop the exploitation forthwith.

He announced that the Left parties would stage dharna at Dharna Chowk on Wednesday in protest against the skyrocketing onion prices and the RTC bus fares. "If the hidden charges in the electricity bills were not withdrawn immediately a massive agitation would be launched," he said.

He expressed concern over the hidden charges levied by the Electricity department in the name of additional load charge, additional deposit and late payment penalty among others. "They are charging for additional load if there is a television set, mixie, air-cooler, washing machine and air-conditioner which is nothing but indirect way of levying additional burden on the consumers," he said.

He wondered whether the Chief Minister was not aware of these hidden charges or was he silent over the issue. Though the government announced that there would not be hike in the electricity charges the next year too, but it has been levying additional charges indirectly, he pointed out.

There are instances of collecting from Rs 500 to Rs 1.5 lakh from the consumers in Vijayawada alone, he said stating that the officials were not giving answers when questioned about it.

A consumer in Rajiv Nagar received a bill for Rs 69 and additional load charge of Rs 1,550, he informed the media. Babu Rao recalled that the Delhi government decreased the electricity charges but the State government is increasing them.

"The RTC is imposing a burden of Rs 750 crore on people by increasing the fare," he said.He lambasted Modi government at the Centre and Jagan Mohan Reddy government in the State for imposing additional burden on people.