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Khurana for CBI probe into privatisation of DVB

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI SEPT. 21 .The Delhi BJP president, Madan Lal Khurana, today once again reiterated the demand for a CBI probe into the privatisation of Delhi Vidyut Board, alleging that crucial facts have been hidden from the people of Delhi. He also warned that BJP would launch an agitation if any increase was undertaken in power tariff.

Meanwhile, sources in the Delhi Government and the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Authority (DERC) today sought to put the lid on all speculation and ruled out any hike in the near future and asserted that no proposal for such a hike had been received by either of them.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Khurana, in contrast to the call by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, for putting aside politics and evolving a consensus on power reforms, alleged that everything was wrong with the privatisation process. He said a delegation of BJP leaders would soon meet the Prime Minister and present him with all the facts with a demand for a CBI probe. Accusing the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, of indulging in a complete sell out in the privatisation of DVB, the BJP leader said important facts in the SBI Caps report were hidden from the public.

On the move to hike tariff by 15 per cent, Mr. Khurana said his party would launch an agitation if any such step was taken. Reminding the Chief Minister that she had promised that no hike would take place in the near future, the former Chief Minister said it would be a gross injustice if any such thing took place. Already the DVB had been handed over to the private companies on a platter with terms and conditions framed in such a manner as to benefit the private players the most. He said the movable and immovable properties of the DVB had been given to the private companies on one rupee lease per year which was itself a big scam.

Sources in the DERC discounted the possibility of a hike in the near future. They said that no proposal for a hike had been received by them which was the deciding authority in the matter. In fact, even the private companies have stated that at no stage did they make any representation to the Delhi Government or the DERC for a power hike and all reports in this regard were misleading and out of context.

Sources further pointed out that the DERC would start receiving requests and proposals during the month of December. In would go in for public debate and discussions on the issue and this itself would take some time. Even if there was a power hike sometime next year, it would be in the region of five to seven per cent and not 15 to 20 per cent as was being made out by some reports and BJP leaders.

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