Date:27/11/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/27/stories/2009112752530300.htm

Karnataka - Hassan

JD(S) criticises hike in power tariff

Staff Correspondent

KERC decision will affect the poor: Javare Gowda
The Government has no vision: former Minister

HASSAN: The hike in power tariff will affect all sections of society, particularly the poor and the downtrodden, district Janata Dal (Secular) president H.K. Javare Gowda has said.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Wednesday, Mr. Gowda said that the KERC’s decision would burden the people.

He alleged that the hike was the result of mismanagement on the energy front.

‘Anti-people’

Terming the decision as “anti-people,” Mr. Gowda appealed to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa not to make the lives of people miserable, as the districts in north Karnataka were yet to recover from the recent flood havoc .

H.K. Kumaraswamy, Sakleshpur MLA, described the hike as unethical and said people were already being affected because of load-shedding. The former Minister B. Shivaram said the Government had failed on all fronts, particularly in resource mobilisation. “The Government has no vision,” he said. “When it is unable to supply electricity, what is the rationale behind increasing the tariff?” he asked.