Consumers against power tariff hike

Consumers against power tariff hike

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, November 24: Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) for a change received more bouquets than brickbats at the public hearing organized by Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on the company’s tariff filings for 2010-11 here on Tuesday regarding its services. However, the same generous customers emphatically urged the commission to turn down Mescom’s request for a 75 paise hike in power tariff.

Mescom, like all other Escoms have filed petition with the KERC seeking a hike of 75 paise per unit of power. The consumers, be they traders, farmers, or industry and trade bodies had no qualms in vouching for overall improvement in services offered by Mescom. But the hike of 75 paise sought by the company has no justification, the consumers pointed and urged the KERC to turn down Mescom’s request.

The one area that most consumers faulted Mescom is the company’s inability to complete its universal obligation of 100% metering of irrigation pumpsets, as well as Bhagya Jyothi and Kuteera Jyothi scheme consumers. Rajaram Shetty of Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association implored the KERC to provide higher rebate for users of solar water heaters and extend the same to those who go in for solar lighting systems.

Anil Savoor of Karnataka Planters Association, Chikmagalur, urged KERC to bring coffee planters under a common classification of IP set users and not categorize them differently. Even the shrimp farmers from Kundapur wanted the KERC to bring them on par with IP set users who use pumps of less than 10 HPs. They even brought to attention of KERC a government order asking shrimp farmers to be viewed on par with farmers.

Representing the Karnataka Coastal Ice Plant and Cold Storage Units Association, advocate Ashok Kumar Shetty from Udupi accused Mescom, and Hescom of not honouring a directive given by the commission to treat ice-plant units as seasonal industry and give them rebate in tariff. S Sumanth, MD, Mescom said individual consumers could approach the company and seek appropriate relief as ordered by KERC.

Courtesy-TNN