Power tariff: Panel formed to carry out agitations

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JUNE 29. Traders in the city have opposed the power tariff hike describing it as a `shattering blow' to the business community.

Their leaders announced an agitation programme here on Thursday against the hike and said they would continue the stir till the hike is withdrawn. As a prelude to this, all the commercial establishments in the Chikkadapalli area will observe a blackout of electricity from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday next. They will use kerosene lamps or candles instead during the blackout to highlight the consequences of the hike. Memoranda will be submitted to the Governor, the Chief Minister and the CMD of A.P. Transco.

Mr. Soma Dayanand, president, Mr. D. Durvasulu Gupta, former president, A.P. Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Trade, and a dozen of other office-bearers, told a press conference that the trader was hit twice under the upward revision--first as a businessman and later as the household head. The additional burden would be 85 per cent for house connection and 45 per cent for the commercial service.

They said an action committee was formed with Mr. A. Vijayakumar and Mr. G.S. Dhanunjaya as chairman and secretary respectively and three others as vice-chairmen for taking up the agitational programme. The agitation which would be confined only to the city initially would be taken up in the entire State later, they added.

Meanwhile, nine left parties launched a State-wide programme of conducting yatra till July 2 to campaign against the hike. An yatra was flagged off at RTC crossroads here on Thursday by the CPI(M) Central Committee member, Mr. K. Satyanarayana. The city CPI secretary, Mr. Azeez Pasha, Mr. Bikshmaiah (CPI-ML New Democracy), Mr. Sridhar (SUCI) and Mr. Biswas (MCPI) took part.

Mr. Satyanarayana lashed out at the Government for bowing to the conditions of the World Bank. He said the power rates had increased abnormally after implementation of the reforms. The CPI(M) leader said his party was prepared for a public debate on the issue but the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues were content with issuing statements.

Referring to the display of anger exhibited by people during the week-long campaign launched by A.P. Transco for regularisation of illegal connections, he said it was time that the Government stopped its repressive tactics and respected people's voice.

Farm power connections

Our Staff Reporter writes:

Applications for as many as 1,21,080 domestic and 16,110 agriculture power connections were registered on Wednesday, according to a statement by the Energy Minister, Mr. K.Subbarayudu, here on Thursday.

The total amount paid for the applications was Rs. 4.99 crores and cumulative amount paid was Rs. 60.64 crores. So far, the cumulative applications registered for the domestic and agriculture connections was 15,44,237 and 1,94,282 respectively.

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