MyVoice: Views of our readers 11th June 2020

The strange games of TSSPDCL

Fears comes true as the famous proverb goes "Aasman se Gira Khajoor me atka" (from frying pan into the fire) the present circumstances of TSSPDCL domestic consumers makes it true. Looking back to the statement from TSSPDCL and Energy minister published in all newspapers during lockdown which said "allaying fears of domestic consumers for higher tariff bracket, the total period of lockdown will be divided by number of months and adjusted with the amount paid. It also said when the meter reading will take place after the lockdown the total meter reading will be divided by three months April May and June, the average monthly amount will then be adjusted with the amount already paid.

Now both the TSSPDCL and Energy Minister make a U-turn and justify the huge electricity bill amount and bundled out the points raised by the consumers regarding higher slab. To add insult to injury they offer three instalments payment with 1.5 per cent interest. This is a good case for activists to approach consumer court as the statement from TSSPDCL and minister were published in all newspapers.

There is an another twist in the bills which the consumers ignore and didn't talk about it which is "customer charges" as your energy charges increase this customer charges will also increase which means in another famous proverb "ek na shud do shud" (As one wasn't bad enough, now have two).

I also want to draw attention of TSSPDCL towards loss/gain amount in electricity bills which is usually in small amount (in paisa). The TSSPDCL +/- amount to the bill under this head to round off the amount to rupee but imagine the amount collected under this head with around 9+ millions consumers better not to add it to the bill.

Hope the TSSPDCL will wake up from deep slumber and rectify bill amount at the earliest without giving a new excuse in this matter.

Mohammad Abdul Waheed, Hyderabad

Violence begets violence

These days in USA the matter of racism is in limelight as George Floyd, a Black person was killed by a white police officer. It is a bitter pill to swallow that even in 21st century, racism still exist in the world's superpower country and it is condemnable. After the discriminatory incident there are violent protests against racial discrimination and oppression. The irate Black community is vandalising public property therefore situation has got out of control in many states of America. Many countries including India are showing sympathy towards black community of the USA but not supporting violent protest.

Agitators has also damaged the statue Of Mahatma Gandhi who is a paradigm of nonviolence. Even great leaders like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, Jr followed the Idea and principle of Gandhiji for getting the civil rights for their community and both the protagonist believe in peaceful protest because they knew aggressive and extreme protest could never be solution.

However, there are some ideologies which believe that the peaceful protest does not bring quick result and it is time consuming process therefore violence is a good weapon to bring the rights, consequently some people blindly accept these ideologies. But, we must remember the first and the second World War were fought on the idea of violence and eventually, both the wars brought devastated results. Disfiguring the statue of Gandhiji cannot bring a satisfactory result as according to him "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind".

Nishant Tripathi, Kondhali, Dt. Nagpur