Vijayawada: Withdraw true up charges, demands roundtable

Vijayawada: Seeking reduction in electricity charges and withdrawal of the decision to fix smart meters to households, CPI conducted a roundtable with the leaders of all parties here on Thursday. CPM State secretary V Srinivasa Rao, TDP Politburo member Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, APCC president Gidugu Rudra Raju and other leaders participated in the meeting along with CPI State secretary K Rama Krishna, who presided over the meeting.

As part of the meeting, all the leaders warned the government of facing dire consequences if the power charges, true up charges and other tariffs are not withdrawn. They threatened the government to hold a protest akin to that of Bashirbagh (Hyderabad) during previous TDP regime under undivided AP.

TDP Politburo member Bonda Umamaheswar Rao said that the government is purchasing wind, solar and hydro power by paying high rates and burdening the consumers. He wondered why the electricity charges are not being hiked in the neighbouring States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Odisha. He asked why the government has decided to replace electricity meters with smart meters while the existing meters were working properly.

CPI State secretary K Rama Krishna alleged that the State government is spending a whopping amount of Rs 36,970 for purchasing each smart meter, while it is available for Rs 7,100 in Rajasthan and for Rs 7,900 in Chandigarh. He opined that it was the biggest robbery. He urged the public to participate largely in Vijayawada public meeting which is slated on June 18.

TDP leader Payyavula Kesav, former MLC Wilson, CPI ML Liberation leader D Haranath, CPI leaders G Eswaraiah, CH Koteswara Rao, Congress leader Sukara Padmasri and others participated.