INDIA bloc leaders on Tuesday staged a protest to condemn the frequent power tariff hike imposed by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission in Puducherry.
Leaders belonging to the Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi took out a march from Immaculate Church to the Chief Secretariat. However, the police stopped the protesters near Kosakadai-Ambour Salai junction. They raised slogans against the government for their failure to prevent the JERC from increasing the tariff by 20 paise per unit.
Minister issues clarification
Minister for Home and Power A. Namassivayam clarified that the latest power tariff hike would not impact the consumers as the government had already decided to incur the amount increased by the Commission. “The Minister said the file to bear the expenditure towards the power tariff hike has been processed. We will shield the consumers from the latest tariff hike for electricity,” he told reporters.