Power tariff hike: 'No tax' campaign on anvil

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 9. Industries in the State have decided to launch "no tax" and "jail bharo" programmes to protest against the power tariff hike. For this purpose, trade, commerce and industry sectors have set up local task force committees.

The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) President, Mr. K Ramaswamy, and other task force members informed presspersons here on Friday that they had already started hunger strikes. "Yesterday, representatives of FKCCI, KASSIA (Karnataka Small-scale Industries Association) and Peenya Industries Association (PIA) had a two-hour sit-in before the Gandhi statue on MG Road," Mr. Ramaswamy said.

The local task force committees have been set up for the "proper supervision and conduct" of the agitation till "relief is forthcoming".

The "no tax" campaign will begin from March 15. "We will not pay sales tax and the water/electricity bills," the agitators said. According to Mr. Ramaswamy, these organisations have already filed a petition before the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) against the levy of three months minimum deposit by the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. (KPTCL).

Besides, they plan to meet the Income Tax Commissioner to explain the reasons behind the proposed "no tax" campaign. "All we ask for is continuous, uninterrupted power supply. If the KPTCL cannot give us that, why should we pay their hiked charges?", the industry representatives asked.

While the protests are on, FKCCI, KASSIA and the other organisations will "simultaneously seek an appointment with the Chief Minister to apprise him of the seriousness of the situation".

It may be recalled that the afore-mentioned industries had recently presented the Chief Minister with a "key" symbolising the closure of their factories.

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Section  : Southern States
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