'Delhi Govt enriching coffers of power cos at cost of public: Jolly

New Delhi, July 11 (UNI) Questioning the logic of "inflated" power tariffs being charged by the private power distribution companies at a time the capital was subjected to unscheduled loadshedding and prolonged power cuts, BJP MLA Vijay Jolly today charged the Delhi Government of "enriching coffers of these companies at the cost of the honest citizens of the city." ''The power procurement cost in Delhi is Rs 1.93 per unit while the people of Delhi have to pay a tariff of Rs 4.50 per unit of power, which makes for a whopping 133 per cent profit on purchase and sale of power,''Mr Jolly told mediapersons at a press meet here.

Blaming the Delhi Government for this "open public loot and fraud", Mr Jolly said,''this is a clear case of providing exhorbitant profits to enrich the coffers of the Reliance Company and earn kickbacks at the cost of honest citizens in the process.'' He said that at the time of privatisation of power distribution in Delhi, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had stated that power situation would improve and woes of the consumers would be addressed.

''However, the privatisation pill of Mrs Sheila Dikshit has left the consumers high, dry, confused and perplexed. Due to the indifferent and callous attitude of the power discoms- BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd, BSES Yamuna Power Limited and North Delhi Power Ltd (NDPL) - the citizens of Delhi are facing unscheduled loadshedding, prolonged power cuts, fast running meters and inflated power bills,''he said.

Mr Jolly alleged that the BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd Co had been demanding exhorbitant costs from the Delhi Jal Board for providing power connections to energise some drinking water tubewells commisioned in the Sangam Vihar area at his behest.

''This is nothing but a fraud on the public money, in fact the biggest slated fraud on the exchequer by the BSES till date,''he said and demanded that the power privatisation process be reviewed and license of Reliance company be revoked in public interest.

He also condemned the apathy of the Delhi Government to the power woes of the citizens.

''While the citizens are sweating and protesting power black-outs, the Delhi Chief Minister has flown to cooler climes of Managolia for a week - off. The so-called good governance of Delhi government has taken a back seat,''he claimed.

UNI AR VD BST1927