Power tariff hike puts additional burden on common man: CPM

Tirupati: The hike in the power tariff added more burden to the people, who are already suffering with the price rise including essentials and vegetables, said CPM former Rajya Sabha MP P Madhu.

Madhu along with party local leaders including district secretary Vandavasi Nagaraj, district committee member K Murali and others visited some of middle class and lower middle class dominated localities including Sundaraiah Nagar, Saptagiri Nagar and Yashoda Nagar in the city to get feedback from the residents on the power charges increase.

Later speaking to the media, he said that it was found that the power tariff hike adversely affected every house with the monthly bill increase ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 2,000 which indeed hit the people very hard. The government under the cover of true-up charge, customer charge, fixed charge and smart meter charge forcing the consumers to pay more, he pointed out.

This apart, he said the government was also readying to say goodbye to free power supply to agriculture and has already begun fixing meters to farmer’s agriculture power connection which is nothing but a concealed move to end free power supply to farmers.

The residents with no exception strongly resented the hike in power charges and observed that the power charges hike coupled with increase in the cost of living turned life miserable.

The CPM leader said that his party will mobilise the electricity consumers statewide to build a strong movement to force the government to withdraw the increased power charges.

Seeking the people to revolt against the increase in power charges and teach a lesson to the government, the CPM leader said that the YSRCP government would fall if it not revokes its move.

CPM city secretary T Subramanyam, S Jayachandra, M Madhav, P Sai Lakshmi and others were present.