Sircilla: Public opposes proposal to hike power charges

They voiced their protest against the proposed power tariff hike at a public hearing organised by the Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (TGERC)

Rajanna-Sircilla: People from all sections of the society, including representatives of political parties and the textile industry, farmers and common consumers have opposed the hike proposed in electricity charges by the Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL) and Telangana Northern Power Distribution Company (TGNPDCL).

They voiced their protest against the proposed power tariff hike at a public hearing organised here on by Friday by the Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission (TGERC). Speaking at the public hearing, MLC L Ramana said the State government should not impose additional burden on consumers in the name of power bills. The previous government had not made any proposal for an increase in power tariff during the last five years. Unfortunately, the new government has proposed a hike and it is going to be a burden for consumers, he said.

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After the agriculture sector, the textile industry was the most important sector in the State and there were 25,000 powerlooms in Sircilla alone. Local weavers were facing troubles as the State government had stalled Bathukamma saree orders besides not placing new orders. There should be positive results after electricity reforms. However, the hike in power charges would spell doom for the already struggling weaving industry, he said, asking the State government to take back its proposal to increase electricity charges.

Stating that the State government’s decision to hike in electricity tariff was not right, BRS leader and former MLA Sunke Ravishakar opined that it would a huge burden on the consumers since the textile industry was an allied sector in Choppadandi constituency. He demanded the government to take back its decision. The electricity department was collecting charges from farmers to replace new transformers in place of burnt ones. It was becoming a huge burden for farmers. Moreover, the replacement was delayed by the officials, he said, asking the authorities to solve the problem immediately after receiving complaints.

Handloom Cloth Merchants Association president Thatipamula Damodar wanted the State government to provide power subsidy to the industry up to 30 HP. When N Chandrababu Naidu was the Chief Minister in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, a 50 percent power subsidy was provided to looms consuming electricity up to 10 HP considering weaving as a cottage industry. Asking the government to provide a hundred percent subsidy to the Sircilla textile industry, he said the government would have to spend Rs.12 crore for the purpose. This was when the government was getting Rs.70 crore from the industry in the name of taxes, he pointed out.