SC ruling on DISCOMS; BJP, RWAs raise alarm

New Delhi, Feb 15 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) today apprehended that the Delhi government would hike power tariff, following Supreme court verdict to entitle 6.69 per cent depreciation to DISCOMs.

BJP Delhi Pradesh President Harsh Vardhan warned that the Sheila Dikshit Government had already prepared a background to increase the power tariff.

He said that the people are facing loadsheddings even during winters.

He alleged Ms Dikshit had committed a bungling at the time of power privatisation.

The CAG, the Public Accounts Committee and the Parliamentary Committee on energy have also in their reports ''suspected such bungling'' and recommended enquiry into it, Mr Vardhan said.

But, no enquiry has yet been ordered, he added.

''The Delhi government, Delhi Electric Regulatory Commission (DERC) and the private distribution companies DISCOMs have been anti-people since the privatisation. It has done far more bad than good,'' said Mr VN Bali, Secretary, Ram Vihar, RWA.

The private power companies have failed to curb power cuts, improve distribution network and to carry out its required mandate to stop power pilferage. The honest consumers bear the price for inefficiency of the DISCOMs. It is atrocious and unacceptable, added Mr Sanjay Kaul, President, People's Action.

UNI