Protest against electricity charges’ burden on Sept 27

Ongole (Prakasam district): Leaders of Left parties in Prakasam district decided to protest at the district Collectorate on September 27 and sought public support to make it successful. They held a meeting to discuss the increasing burden of electricity charges on the public, at Mallaiah Lingam Bhavan in Ongole on Sunday.

Speaking at the meeting, CPI Prakasam district secretary ML Narayana said that the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government is trying to implement Electricity Reforms 2022 in the State to get more loans from the Centre. He said that the government shelved the Free Electricity to the poor for up to 100 units but is eager to fix smart meters. He said that the State government has burdened the public by increasing electricity charges seven times in just four and a half years, yet is increasing the burden in the name of true-up charges and adjustment charges, following the directions of the BJP-led union government. He said they are protesting the increase of electricity charges burden on the public with a protest in front of the district Collectorate and asked the public to join them and make it a grand success.

CPM Prakasam district secretary Syed Haneef said that if the State implements electricity reforms, then agriculture field will be in a crisis. He questioned the rationale for fixing the smart meters to the motor pump sets, billing their usage and the government clearing the electricity bills itself.

He said that a number of small-scale companies, and industries in the district lost work and became non-functional since then. If the reforms had taken place, he worried that thousands of workers in the existing industries would lose jobs again.

CPI ML secretary DVN Swamy said the electricity reforms will put an extra burden of Rs 50 crore on the public. He alleged that the Modi government is implementing the reforms to make the pockets of corporate companies fatter.

CPI-ML New Democracy leader K Hanumantha Rao, CPI leaders R Venkatrao, PVR Chowdary, CPM leaders GV Kondareddy, Kankanala Anjaneyulu, Chikati Srinivasa Rao, CPI ML leader S Lalitha and others also participated in the meeting.