Widespread resentment against hike

By M. Malleswara Rao

HYDERABAD, JUNE 9. The steep increase in electricity tariff has sent shock waves across the households in the entire State. The immediate reaction by Mrs B. Nagamamba, a housewife at Ganapathi Complex, Yousufguda, was that she shut off the fridge. ``The hike is too steep,'' she laments, demanding immediate switchover to monthly bills and consumption up to 100 units as the first slab by which she hopes to lessen the burden. Not long ago, she says she paid a ``faulty'' inflated bill of Rs. 4,000.

Mr C. P. Natarajan, who runs general engineering works at Technocrats Industrial Estate, Balanagar, says his monthly bill covering a 25 HP motor and equipment may jump to Rs 7,000 from the present Rs 5,000. The widespread resentment is not as much against reforms as it is against the tariff hike. Mr D. N. Rao of Dachepalli Booksellers near the Secunderabad railway station terms the increase ``ghastly" but welcomes the reforms with World Bank assistance. ``The best thing that Transco should have done before seeking revision was to arrest pilferage at least to some extent and collect arrears due from big industries, officers and politicians, the last two categories at Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills,'' he says.

Among the dozens of domestic consumers whose reactions were elicited by this correspondent during a six-hour drive across the city on Thursday, Mr A. Satchidanandam, a retired Indian Economic Service officer, in Ameerpet area, was the only user who ``fully'' supported Transco with the poser "where else will the Transco get the money from, for paying increased wage bills and meet the expenditure on purchase of power?'' He insists that World Bank-inspired reforms and private initiative are necessary.

Most consumers disputed the claims made by the Transco about the quality in service. Residents of Akash Nagar and Bapu Nagar, SC and Muslim bastis at Amberpet, spoke of low voltage which burnt down their gadgets, and of frequent interruptions. One among them, Mrs P. Janaki, pointing at other basti, bemoaned "by night, they hook up wires to poles and draw power illegally and the electricity people, though knowing it, do nothing about this. They are enjoying at our cost.''.

Several dwellers at Erukala (ST) Colony, Chilakalaguda, complained about official corruption, stating that connection is normally given only if the palms of the assistant engineer concerned are greased. They termed the surprise visits by officials and customers' meets mere publicity stunts as there was never a follow-up action on problems cited.

A perusal of the bills at different localities showed that Transco is implementing monthly bills at some places like New Bowenpalli and bi-monthly bills in other areas. Mohd Azhar Ali, a bangles salesman at Lal Bazar who owns a connection at Manjali Begum Haveli, Charminar, questioned the Transco propriety in collecting ``penal'' (Rs 15), "defaulting" (Rs 20) "consumer" (Rs 20) charges apart from "electricity duty" and wanted to know the meaning of all this. "It is virtually fleecing".

The consumers at other places like Chikkadapalli, Himayathnagar and Abids raised an accusing finger at the Old City, dubbing it as sole culprit of the loss-causing pilferage. Their criticism appears to be valid because billing in the city is being done only to the extent of 61 per cent as admitted by Transco.

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